We Were MADE to Be
by k i m i - m o n o g a t a r i
Summary: Sakura Haruno finally starts her school after a lifetime of being spoiled in her parent's mansion. She learns more about the history of the world and herself than she really wanted to know... Unlike any other Highschool fic! SasuSaku..
1. Prologue

I'm submitting too much...

Hello everyone! Kaze-san here, and can I just say that I am very excited to write this fic! Myeeh, I know I should be concentrating on my other series as well, but I couldn't stop writing this! I've got such a good feeling about it... I've already got three chapters, so I thought it would be okay to submit the prologue...

Its a lot more serious than my other series **The Friend of my Love is my Enemy**, but hopefully I will manage.

I know High School fics are done a lot, especially SasuSaku ones, but I hope that this one will be a little different to the cutely written stories there are done.

This fiction deals with a major topic today that I myself have had to deal with during the course of my life.

Racism.

This fiction does not deal with Racism through colour, but there will be some discrimination amongst the characters because of the whole Homo Sapiens vs. Homo Regi deal, which is really the center of this fiction. This fiction is about acceptance and acknowledgement. Just so you know.

**Disclaimer:** No, I don't own Naruto. Big wow right there.

* * *

**We Were Made to Be**

**Prologue**

**An Altered Gene**

80 years ago, scientists made a discovery. They learnt by subjecting a certain gene in a human's body to a special kind of radiation known as 'Red Light' they could change the makeup of the being and engineer a new life form entirely!

As technology advanced, they learnt that they could tamper with the brain of the being. They could make the life form faster, smarter, stronger. The sky was the limit.

The project was to be called Homo Regi.

But they were afraid and jealous of Homo Regi's capabilities and installed another gene in to the DNA of the being. The being would follow the orders of its masters without question. They were dependant on Homo sapiens. They were destined to be servants, incapable of free will.

* * *

The first was created. Her name was Yi. She was sixteen. She was the start of a revolution. She was pure and innocent, with a true, determined personality... Beautiful with long flowing hair and emerald eyes.

Her four sisters where created; Hi, Ki, Kin, Ai. They had different personalities like Homo sapiens. Hi was a fiery youth. Ki was the most intelligent. Ai loved unconditionally, whereas Kin was a little colder- more sarcastic. They were inseparable. They were perfect. They were identical to a human girl.

The world was in shock. The beauty of the sisters captivated everyone, yet they were cut off from the rest of the world. They were kept in laboratories. In stimulated environments were they were to live and could not be hurt.

They created the first male, Ro. He was to mate with Yi. They fell in love, and to the delight of the scientists, they successfully reproduced.

The babies were not produced naturally. With the help of science, the Homo Regis went through pregnancy in four months, not nine.

Over the series of five years, Yi had produced four healthy children. More males were produced and soon all the sisters had families.

The children were that of their parents. They were beautiful. They were superhuman. They were perfect.

...Or so they seemed to be.

* * *

The day came when Yi's family were called for a checkup, like they were to do every week. Yi and Ro and their three children attended obediently.

The youngest boy, Tomo, passed the inspection. He was still a baby in arms.

The middle child, a girl called Sachi was two. She also passed.

Their first child, a five year old called Kimi. She was a miniature version of her mother.

But their second eldest, a little boy named Sato, was the one where it all started. He had brought a doll to the inspection, which surprised the scientists.

They ordered him to hand it over.

He refused. They fought. He bit them.

The next day, Yi awoke to find her son missing from his bed. She and her sisters searched through their 'village' but no clues were given to his whereabouts.

Finally, her creators told her that he had died in his sleep. She cried in desperation, asking for the body, but it was not bestowed on to her. They said that they had already burned it.

Yi and her family wept. From that day forth, the Regis were not as warm their creators as they had been. They suspected something. They were cautious.

The creators were curious. After the Sato incident, all the Regis slept in one bed. Their children never left their side. The sisters whispered to each other.

* * *

Ten years onwards from that, nothing much had changed.

The families had grown dramatically, though. The Homo Regis community now had 32 member; all beautiful. All perfect.

Yi had three more children after Sato had died. She was quiet. She was obedient.

The oldest of the Homo Regis offspring was Kimi. She was fifteen years old and had a soft spot in the hearts of all of the scientists.

* * *

"What are you doing?" Said a woman's voice. It was beautiful and melodic. 

"Why are you here? Today isn't check-up day."

"You have no business here!"

"What? NO! GET AWAY FROM HER!"

* * *

There was a revolt. It was suspected by the creators that there was a flaw in the genes, probably caused by the scientists mating with the sisters as well as the Regis husbands.

But if that were true, why were the original sisters also affected?

* * *

Action was made. They forcefully tried to take them away. The Regis rebelled. Blood was spilled. Most escaped. One remained.

Yi was killed in the panic. She had protected them. The rest of her family and sisters had gotten away. She was beaten to death. Her body was marked. She wasn't perfect. She couldn't save herself.

The Regis were a failed experiment and nothing more.

From then on, the Regis were freethinking super humans, loose in the world. They mixed with other people. As they mixed, the blood was thinned. They were no longer perfect. The remaining 4 sisters and the five husbands were thought to be all dead. Their children could be anyway. It was impossible to know the difference unless the Regis chose to show it.

* * *

Yet every few years a scandal was caused where the full potential of the Regis was sparked in a descendent. The descendent was made out to be a star; a prodigy. Yet they were hated. They were envied. They were so beautiful- _too_ beautiful. Such envy excluded the Regis from normal society. To fit in, the Regis pretended to be normal humans. It would be okay.

Until another child possessed the limit when the blood was at its purest...

* * *

"Miss Sakura, please wake up!" 

Curtains were drawn but no light came through the windows. It was only when the lamp by the bedside was turned on, that light reached to the face of a girl whose body was sprawled on the bed. She screwed up her face and squirmed under the silken covers of the large bed, hiding her face.

"Haruno-sama!" said a different, much younger voice, shaking the girls body gently. "You really must get up now."

"Do I have to, Tomoyo?"

"Yes, you really have to! Your mother requested it! She will not be pleased if you don't get up for your important day!" This girl was dressed in black and white and had a slightly foreign accent. She had a sweet face and short, dirty blonde hair pulled back in to a bun. She couldn't have been older than 17. She wrenched the covers of the bed, revealing the hiding body that lay beneath them.

"Waah!" She cried, rolling over in displeasure. She sat up, her radiant pink hair all in her face. It reached down to the base of her ribs, flowing straight and true. She made a face and opened her eyes grimly. They were a brilliant green, almost as shocking as her hair. Standing up, she bounced to the end of the long bed to wear the younger of the two maids was standing.

The late-sleeper was the shorter of the two, and probably the younger. She yawned childishly as the maid shepherded her off to the bathroom.

"Tomoyo, what time is it, please?"

"It has just turned five o' clock, Sakura-sama."

"In the evening?"

"In the morning."

"What??" Sakura yelled, collapsing to a heap on the floor. "Its too earllyyyyyyy..."

Haruno Sakura was the daughter of Ryo and Mizu Haruno. Haruno Ryo was a wealthy businessman whereas Mizu Haruno owned a string of cafés, simply called "Haruno's."

* * *

Sakura was an only child, therefore the heir to both of their businesses. If you could search the world and find the most unsuitable person to run a business, Haruno Sakura would still beat them in a landslide _victory_. She had always been... frisky. Even from birth it was easy to see this baby's lust for life. 

She was raised in her parent's grand house. At the age of five, she had never left the grounds of the mansion. Her parents just didn't want her to learn the terrors of the rest of the world; not just yet, anyway. But as she grew, she became more of a handful. She was constantly trying to sneak past the maids and get out of the grounds of the house.

At eight, she successfully climbed over one of the fences, but as she jumped down she landed wrongly and sprained her ankle. Despite this, she had still tried to hobble away, until she was retrieved by the housekeeper. Her mother was even more determined to keep her inside her house, and she did just that.

It was only when she was twelve where she was taken outside the grounds. She travelled with her mother for a month and never left her side. Her husband had convinced Haruno Mizu that the girl needed to learn about the world outside their mansion. With every passing day, Mizu started to regret it when her daughter was introduced to popular music by one of the Air Hostess' on the flight to Tokyo. How she hated Sakura's endless ramblings about her favourite pop stars and songs. Sakura said that she was becoming more cultured. Mizu thought that it was making her daughter stubborn.

That month had been the best one of Sakura's life. When she was to be left at home, she became bored. Every time her father returned from work after two weeks away from home, he was bombarded with complaints about how bored she was.

"Then go entertain yourself!"

"I can't! Have you noticed I have no friends my own age?"

It occurred to Haruno Ryo that her child was becoming spoilt, and who could blame her. After reasoning with his wife, a young maid was hired. Oto Tomoyo was cultured and sophisticated, even at the age of thirteen. She was to be Sakura's playmate. Surely she would rub her influence in to her child, her parents thought.

* * *

_"Come along, Haruno-Sama."_

_"Ne, Tomoyo, where are we going?"_

_"Please don't say 'ne,' Haruno-Sama. It sounds childish."_

* * *

For a while it worked. Sakura became more obedient. She was still very hyperactive, but she was a lot more polite now. This, however, didn't quell Sakura's longing to travel outside her house. After listening to Tomoyo's tales of how she travelled Japan in order to become a maid, Sakura was even more determined to escape the clutches of her overprotective parents. 

She loved them, really. She just didn't particularly like them.

It was what her parents had most feared. A moody teenage girl. The world was over.

* * *

And that brings the story to where it started. Haruno Sakura being woken up for her first day of school. 

Before, she had been home-tutored. Sakura hated her tutors. They didn't appreciate her happy-go-lucky attitude or how she told them how they smelt of tarmac. Sakura only thought she was being honest. She couldn't believe how _so_ many people could be _so_ grumpy for _so _long!

Sakura had argued with her parents since she was thirteen, about how she wanted to attend high school. They had finally agreed after a fifteen-year-old Sakura had burst in to her Father's meeting place, and danced around his shocked co-workers chanting "Send me to school!"

Haruno Ryo had always told his daughter that he was the fun parent. However, he was not amused. And after this, he snapped.

Her parents had one condition. Tomoyo had to attend to.

Tomoyo wasn't one to be skittish, but she could honestly say that she was nervous. Sakura's lust for life and perverted teenage boys didn't seem to be a good couple - one that Mr. and Mrs. Haruno would not fully appreciate.

* * *

"Haruno-Sama? Are you done with your shower?" 

"Yes." Sakura emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a towel and a toothbrush in her mouth. Her hair looked even more beautiful wet. It shone and glittered magically.

Sakura had walked in to her closet. Patrolling up and down the many shelves, scanning the clothes carefully. She reached out for a pair of designer skinny jeans and grey minidress. Picking them out gingerly, she returned, only to be stopped by one of the older maids, Satomi.

"Pardon me, Young Miss, but your mother has already picked out the clothes you will be wearing."

Silence.

"Oh, god."

* * *

Before anything I would like to specify that Homo Regi are not robots or mechanical in anyway. They are Bio-engineered experiments... they sound kind of Mary-Sue-ish, right? I promise you, they are far from perfect, despite what their creators thought. Such things will be revealed through the course of the fic! 

Going through it... I realise I used the ruler tool a lot... Ahah, sorry about that. I think I'm kind of addicted to it. Its just so helpful!

Yi, Hi, Ki, Kin, Ai. No, I did not pull those names out of my butt… it looks like I kinda did, ne? They were chosen for reasons, but it's late and I have to go to bed. Maybe I'll explain in a later chapter?

This prologue is to give an insight in to the story! I hope it did just that... I'm sorry it's so long! I couldn't bring myself to stop writing...

If you could review, it would be greatly appreciated! I'm not sure what other couples I want in this fic, though... I'm planning as I type this...

Thank you for reading my story, if you did!!

---------------------------------


	2. What Not To Buy Your Daughter

Hello, hello! It's little old me Chapter two, here!

I know I'm updating a lot, but its because I'm going on holiday to Florida soon, so there will be a 2 week "No Kaze" gap D: And I know you'd just haaaate that -/sarcasm-

Sakura attends school! Not only that, but its a **MIXED GENDER SCHOOL**. -enter dramatic background music- Sakura's mother does not really approve, I'm sure.

I myself actually go to an all girls school -- its very annoying. My primary school was mixed though. I always used to mix with the boys better. A lot of girls in all-girls schools are really horrible...

Oops! I forgot the disclaimer.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. I'm sure you're all in shock.

* * *

**We Were Made to Be**

**Chapter One**

**What Not To Buy Your Daughter**

She stared. She thought the dress stared back.

That's probably because she was convinced it had a mind of its own. It was HIDIOUS.

It looked like the dresses she made her dolls wear when she was four. It was frilly. It was floaty. It had silk ribbons. It was bright pink. It matched her hair, for Christ's sake. And not only that. It had matching gloves and pumps.

Sakura was going to vomit.

"No."

"Miss Sakura, maybe if you-"

"No."

"But your mother requested that you-"

"No."

"Well, if you just."

"No!" Sakura folded her arms. "I will not, wear this- this monstrosity! It looks like Barbie threw up. My hair may be pink, but I am not girly."

"Haruno-sama, are you i-" Tomoyo entered and stopped when she saw the dress. Sakura eyed her up and down with a sour expression on her face that was gradually growing more and more vengeful. Tomoyo opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again. She was wearing a polo shirt with a jacket and jeans. In other words, normal clothes.

"See?" Sakura pointed at her companion, who shrunk back out of the door. "How come Tomoyo gets to wear normal clothes, but I dont? That is completely unfair."

Sakura took off out of the closet with her originally picked out clothes in hand. The old maid trotted after hair with that... BEAST clutched in her hands.

"Miss Sakura, please reconsider!" She called after her young mistress.

Sakura didn't answer. She only turned on her heel to sprint up the stairs to her mothers suite.

Slamming open the doors, face like thunder, Sakura stormed in. In front of her was a huge bed that stretched for nearly the entire witdth of the room. In the bed lay a tall, skinny woman wearing a night-mask. Sakura did not care to whether she was in a towel or not. She got up on to the bed and bounced. _She bounced for all she was worth._

"Mom!" She shouted.

Bounce, bounce bounce.

"WAKE UP." She bellowed, just as Satomi had entered the room. She was pale in the face.

"**MOM**." Sakura yelled again. Her mother didn't open her eyes, but she frowing.

"Wha-wha-whaaat..." She said, feebly stiffling a yawn.

"Oh, so I have to get up early, but you sleep in?" Sakura poked her mother, finally provoking her to open her eyes. She sat up, pulling pillows that Sakura had thrown at her away from her head, revealling a head of rose-pink hair. It wasn't quite as shocking as Sakura's, but it was enough to turn a few heads. She and Sakura were very alike. Her mother, however, had blue eyes and a beauty mark on her cheek.

"What?" She asked, conclusively.

"What, in the name of the lord," Sakura pointed accusingly to the dress that Satomi was still holding. "Is that."

"...The housekeeper?"

"Not the housekeeper," Sakura wheezed. She was trying so hard not to throw a _complete _tantrum. "What she's holding."

Her mother got the message. "The dress?"

"Its not a dress, mother. Its the spawn of Satan."

"Sakura!" Her mother looked shocked at her. Sakura's expression didn't faulter. She pouted and her eyebrow twitched. "Sakura," Her mother twisted herself out of bed and grapped a fluffy blue dressing gown. "Your father and myself picked that dress out epecially."

"And what year was it when you did this?"

"We," Her mother continued, ignoring her last comment, "bought it for your first day because we wanted you to send out the right message."

Sakura's jaw dropped. "What message? That I'm looking to get beaten up?"

"Look, if you just try it on-"

"I refuse to touch it. I think I'll catch stupid."

Her mother looked at her in such a way that it could have made the dead roll over in their graves. Unfortunately Sakura had inherited her Father's gift of ignoring it completly. "Well I touched it. Just look at me!"

"Yes. It proves my point." Sakura spat angrily, and her mother flopped back in her pillows. Sakura lay next to her, arms folded. Her mother turned to look at her, Sakura didn't do the same.

"Sakura, I'm sorry you don't like the dress." She hurriedly continued before her daughter could respond, "But I just want to make sure that you don't give off the message that I did when I was going to school."

"I've heard that story, mom." Sakura moaned. "I wont dress inappropriately! I just dont want to wear that."

"What clothes have you got?"

Sakura showed them. Her motheer looked at them, contemplating.

"...add flat-heeled shoes and a jacket, and you've got a deal."

"Eeeee!" Sakura squealed, hugging her mother. Her mother patted her weakly back.

* * *

Sakura clutched her bag. There it was. The limozine. The gateway to heaven. For years now, she had been awaiting for this day. She had done so much to get it. She had embarrassed her father in front of his co-workers for this. 

"Sakura, let me get a look at you." Her mother said, emerging from the doors behind. Sakura spun on her heels beaming at her whist her mother looked her up and down. "Fine."

"Sakura-sama, Tomoyo called, running after Sakura with a red face. They walked down to the car and Tomoyo opened the door for her mistresses. "Are you sure you want to do this."

"Positive." Sakura nodded finally as her mom instructed the driver. "Oh, and Tomoyo, when we are at school, you musn't call me Haruno-sama. Call me Sakura, okay? I don't want my classmates knowing you're my maid. How stupid would I look?" Sakura started considering this to herself. "In fact, you're my cousin at school. Yes." Sakura smiled, admiring her work.

Tomoyo paused. "No Haruno-sama?"

"Nope."

"Sakura-sama?"

"Nu-uh."

"Sakura-san?"

"Tone it down a bit."

Tomoyo looked flustered. "Sakura-chan?"

"That'll do it!" Sakura smiled kindly. "And you will be my nee-chan, okay?"

* * *

"Sakura, I want to come in to the school with you," her mom pointed out, grabbing her bag as they came up upon the school. 

It was big. Huge, even. Sakura stared in wonder as they drove up on to the curb in front of the white marble stairs that led up to the main entrance. Over the doors was the school's name. "KONOHA ACHADEMY - High School Section" in big gold font.

"Mom, I'm going to a school where the rich snoots send their kids. I'll be fine."

"Sakura, please."

"Fiiiine."

* * *

It was like a dream. No, it was better. The inside of the school was just as Tomoyo had described it. It was plain, with big metal boxes called lockers. It was all tiled with doors and notice boards. Sakura didn't have long to admire it before her mother had dragged her to the principals's office. 

The principal was extremely beautiful. A young and domineering woman called Tsunade. Sakura had decided that she liked this person as soon as she saw her.

"Ah!" She said in a powerful voice, at once standing from her desk to shake hands with the three of them. "Haruno Mizu-san!" She adressed Sakura's mother. "We've been expecting you. We have some paper work here."

Sakura saw her mother cringe. "Of course you do."

"The girls can go to their class room, if you want." Sakura nodded before her mother could say anything. "I'll call an escort, shall I? Its easy to get lost in here."

And with swiftness she pushed one of the many buttons at her side. Sakura grinned at her eagely. So this was her principal! She had no idea she's be so young... So blonde! Her long hair was neatly pinned back in to pigtails. But before she could admire her any more, a knock came from the door. Tsunade granted them entry and in came a young woman with hair tied in a messy bun at the back of her head.

"You called, Tsunade-sama?" She said, in a very 'I've got things to do' voice.

"Anko. Show these two to their class, if you please." The principal said plainly. Sakura stood up and hugged her mother as she showed her daughter with details.

"Try and make a good impression, oh and remember your manners, of course. The car will pick you up at the end of school outside the front of the school, so wait for him there okay?"

Sakura answered with a string of quick yes's, kissed her mother on the cheek, gave a polite wave to the principal and hurried out the door.

* * *

"We're almost there." The teacher said, leading them in a brisk walk down the corridor. 

Sakura no longer felt as perky as she had before. Her stomach had sunk to her shoes (flat heels as her mother had commanded). She looked to Tomoyo, and could tell she was feeling the same. Sakura nudged her and held out her hand, giving her companion one of her nicest smiles. Tomoyo paused, and then gingerly took it. They walked hand in hand down the corridor to where the classroom was.

Anko was already knocking on the door. Sakura wasn't ready for this. She could feel a cold sweat on her forehead. She hurriely wiped it away with her sleeve and staightened her dress. Tomoyo was attempting the world record for "Fastest Pigtail Fixing."

"Ah, Kakashi." Anko called, in the same hurried voice, opening the door. "I have new students for you."

"Wonderful." Answered a male voice and the sliding of a chair being pushed back. "Send them in one at a time to avoid mix-ups with names, and such."

Sakura thought this was odd, but this didn't stop her from having the world's fasted "Rock, Paper, Scissors" with Tomoyo. Her companion groaned as she lost, and threw a final nervous glance at Sakura before flattening her blonde hair and walking in.

Sakura listened in from outside.

"Okay. What's your name, first?"

"Oto Tomoyo." Sakura could hear her friend's voice. It was a little shaky, but sounded a heck of a lot more confident than Sakura felt at that moment. What if she said something wrong? What if she said her name was "Smashing Beetroot" instead of Haruno Sakura? Sakura remembered her bad habit when she was nervous... as long as she didn't do that, they were safe.

"Tomoyo. Tell us about yourself."

"W-well..." Sakura cringed as Tomoyo was forced to lie about her maid-dom. She had both fingers crossed for her maid. "Mainly, I've come here to accompany my cousin, Sakura-chan, who is currently outside the door."

"Your hobbies? Likes and dislikes?"

"Reading, I guess. And listening to music. I like... this is going to sound so weird, but I really like the rain... and I dislike spiders a lot."

Sakura's eyes were wide as she was listened in. She was squirming where she stood.

"Calm down." Said the teacher next to her, who was looking at her in a concerned manner.

"What?"

"Just keep it cool." The teachers smiled and patted her shoulder reassuringly. "You'll be fine, they're gonna love you. This is one of the fickle classes, you see. They love beauty, and you've got tons of it."

Sakura blushed a little and muttered a quiet thank-you. Sakura liked this teacher to.

"And your cousin? You can come in now."

Sakura was frozen. She tried to move, but she couldn't.

_Argh, DAMMIT_, the voice in her head roared. _Move, move MOVE_.

Her knees were locked in place.

* * *

OOOOH, SUSPENSE D: 

Not really, ahaha.

This chapter was shorter than the prologue... I bet you're all glad, right? Ahahahah...

I got... very in to writing this. My stomach was lurching about like Sakura's when I was typing it...

Expect the next chapter soon! Review, pleaaaase?

---------------------------

**Sneak preview of the next chapter:**

**  
They stared.**

**  
She stared back.**

**They stared.**

**She narrowed her eyes. Her social skills were limited. And worse... boys! She'd only seen them in magazines; she's never even spoken to one of her own age before! She fiddled with her hands nervously as one of **_**them **_**raised his hand to speak.  
**

**"Um... yes?" She asked, narrowly avoiding a stutter.**

**"What. THE fuck," One of the boys in the back row started. "Is with your hair."**


	3. What Not To Do To Girls With Buns

Another chapter! D: -waves a flag- I'm so happy!

This is where Sakura-chan finally enters her classroom! My Inner self has been roaring for some more characters and, most importantly, some Sasuke-kun. I wrote this chapter at about four in the morning, so it gets a bit tense...

I hope you guys enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** Do I really have to do this for every chapter? I mean, its as if anyone thinks I own Naruto, anyway... The pop stars and J-Rock bands mentioned in the fic also do not belong to me, as much as I would love to manage Alice Nine...

---------------------------------

**We Were Made to Be**

**  
Chapter Two**

**What not to do to girls with buns**

_Sakura was frozen. She tried to move, but she couldn't._

_**Argh, DAMMIT**__, the voice in her head roared. __**Move, move, MOVE**__. Her knees were locked in place. _

Anko rolled her eyes and pushed her in. Sakura stumbled and wavered a little before tottering in. She wasn't sure if they had seen her little act or not, because even though they were all STARING at her, they weren't laughing. One guy with bright blonde hair was smirking, but nothing more.

Smiling timidly, she looked around. There were five rows of five, and Tomoyo was already seated in the second. She gave Sakura a quick thumbs up, and Sakura gave her best smile. Though, looking at the rest of her classmates, she wasn't sure what to think... They were all... staring.

_What am I, an animal at the Zoo?_

"Ah, good-morning." Said a voice to her right. She looked up to see a tall, male teacher standing next to her. He smiled. His hair was silvery, yet he only looked to be in his twenties. She smiled back to be polite. "What's your name, then?"

"Haruno Sakura." She answered firmly with a nod for added emphasis, but as soon as she spoke, her class broke in to whispers. They were looking at her even more now, and Sakura had a sudden urge to fiddle with her fingers.

"Quiet, everyone." The teacher spoke above them. The room fell silent again. "Okay. So Sakura. Tell us about yourself."

"Okay." Sakura nodded. "Ne-" Sakura paused. She wasn't supposed to say that. She took a deep breath. "My name is Sakura and I'm sixteen years old... Um, lets see... I'm not sure what I should say." She mouthed to her teacher.

"Just tell us your hobbies and what you like." He mouthed back kindly. She nodded. She had decided she liked this teacher too. That was three already. Sakura felt a lot more confident.

"Umm, well, I guess my hobbies are culture." She pondered aloud, bringing a finger to her mouth. "I really love music. And I dislike... mean people?"

"What kind of music?" The tall man nudged, trying to get some more words out of her.

"All kinds of music." Sakura laughed a little. "I like pop a lot, though. Like Aya Matsuura and Mizuki Nana? And J-Rock, like Alice Nine... Pierrot... Yeah, and I like to sing a lot, too." Giggling, she blushed slightly. "Ne, I dunno. I've never done this kind of thing before."

And she looked to the class. They were captivated. All eyes were on her. Sakura felt the need to twitch again, but suppressed it. _What the heck are the staring at? _She thought.

They stared.

She stared back.

They stared.

She narrowed her eyes. Her social skills were limited. And worse... boys! There were at least 15 of them!! She'd only seen them in magazines; she'd never even spoken to one of her own age before! She fiddled with her hands nervously as one of _them _raised his hand to speak.

"Um... yes?" She asked, narrowly avoiding a stutter.

"What. THE _fuck_," One of the boys in the back row started. "Is with your hair."

More silence. Sakura could see Tomoyo's whole face twitch at this.

"My hair." Sakura said, confirming what he had said. She brushed it down with her hands to make sure it wasn't trying to take over the world or something. No, her hair wasn't being particularly rebellious... "What about my hair?"

"I kinda like it," Said another boy, turning around. "Anyway, who cares? She's hot."

Sakura couldn't help flushing as her whole class agreed on this fact. A lot of pairs of eyes were on Sakura. Tomoyo waved a little at Sakura. She winked back.

"Yeah, and did you hear her laugh before? That was cute."

Another lap of nods around the classroom before another boy suddenly put up his hand.

"Is that your real hair colour?"

"Yeah, why?"

"It's weird." Called the first boy from the back. "Makes you look like an R." Sakura raised her eyebrow. What the crap was an 'R?'

"Actually, my mother's hair is pink."

"Is she an R too?"

Silence. Everyone looked nervously at her. Sakura clenched her fists and book marked his face. Short brown hair, off-center nose, weird bangs. For the first time in a while, Sakura could say that she honestly disliked someone.

But she smiled sweetly. "R meaning retarded? Like your hairline?"

And with that, her victory was confirmed. The boy frowned and shrunk in his seat whilst everyone else turned to grin. A chorus of "Oohs" sounded. Her teacher laughed nervously and pointed out her seat. Fourth row, against the wall. She smiled and took it, not knowing what she had just done, but she had done something.

_Is my hair really that bad?_ She thought, fondling it preciously.

* * *

The teacher's name was Kakashi, he had told them. He seemed kind enough. She liked him. Listening to him was kind of relaxing. He had a talent of being able to control a class with little effort.

Yet, he didn't seem to want to use his gift. As soon as his back was turned, the girl in the seat in front of Sakura immediately turned round, smiling broadly.

"Hi! It's nice to meet you, Sakura-san!" She said, holding out her hand. This girl was cute, Sakura thought. She seemed quiet and sweet. She was tall had chocolate brown hair in two neat buns and a pair of pretty, coffee eyes. "I'm Tenten."

Sakura's heart felt warmed and shook the hand. "Its nice to meet you too, Tenten." She brought her voice to a whisper. "But, what is Kakashi-sensei doing now?"

Tenten turned to look at the teacher, "Uh..." She gave a nervous smile. "I-I think he's reading... a book." The girl nodded.

Sakura looked at the book closer. It was mostly hidden by the teacher's back, but she could see a big 'R RATED' sign on the front.

Sakura frowned. "O-oh... _that _kind of book."

"He does that a lot," said a voice from behind her. Sakura swung round to see a boy slumped on the table, looking extremely bored. He had a mess of brown for hair and an angular face. His eyes were kind of charming though, she noticed before he closed them again. He propped his head on his hands when she turned around, though. "You get used to it after a while."

"I see." Sakura, glancing back at the teacher.

"I'm Kiba, by the way." He said, lazily, opening one eye and giving her small hand a shake. Sakura was surprised. "Inuzuka Kiba."

_Inuzuka Kiba. The first boy I have ever touched. _

"Haruno Sakura." She smiled again, a small flush appearing on her cheeks. She let go and he immediately lay back on the desk. "Er... Tired?"

He shook his head.

"He's just lazy. He'll perk up when we get to move around." Said the boy next to him, punching Kiba on the shoulder lightly. Sakura recognized him as the boy who was smirking at the beginning. He was blonde and had bright azure eyes that glittered with a mixture of mischief and hyperactivity. He grinned at her and pointed towards himself with his thumb. "The name's Uzumaki. Naruto Uzumaki."

"Naruto?" Sakura giggled. "As in steamed squid?"

Kiba snorted. Naruto punched him again, smiling cheekily at her.

"Yeah, laugh it up, pink-head."

This time it was Naruto who got punched. Sakura glared at him. Naruto pushed his seat away a bit, nursing his arm. "A-ah... Sakura-chan?"

Sakura's glare turned in a gaze. "Sakura-chan?"

"Yeah! Why, don't you like it?"

"...No-one's ever called me that before." Gradually, she smiled and withdrew her fist. "Sorry, I got carried away... By the way, Naru-"

But she didn't get to finish, because as she was stretched along the gap between the desks, someone came up and pushed her off the chair. She almost fell flat faced on the ground, but Kiba and Naruto caught her by the arms. Sakura went red in the face. She was glad that her mother didn't make her wear that horrific dress, because her panties would have been obviously visible at this point.

She swung around to see who was behind her, and there stood a short girl with bright red hair, clinging on to the arm of the boy who was sitting next to her. He had dark spiky hair, from what she could see, but he was trying to fight her off his arm whilst she was arguing with Tenten.

"Look what you did, you clumsy idiot! You knocked over my friend!"

"That_ slut _shouldn't have been in the way! You think she should be excused just because she's a _Haruno_?"

"SLUT?" Sakura said, loudly pulling herself up. She was ignored though, because Tenten and the redhead were now nose-to-nose arguing. She had let go of the boy's arm now, but it was now being clung to by another girl- a taller one with black hair and dark eyes.

"Ahh, finally together! We make such a cute couple!"

Yet to Sakura, they didn't look very cute. They didn't even look close, because he was still trying to weave his way out of her grip. He remained silent. Even though she couldn't see his face, Sakura knew this boy was getting more and more frustrated. She glanced at Kiba and Naruto who were looking on in amusement. Sakura couldn't help smiling as well, if not in pity.

But the entertainment had turned to shock as the little redhead had brought her hand to Tenten's face in an almighty 'SLAP!' Sakura shuffled back a little, colliding with Kiba's desk as she watched Tenten delicately feel where she had touched her. The boy in front of Tenten, a tall male with pale skin and long, flowing hair, had stood up.

"Tenten," he spoke, cautiously, edging towards the girl.

For a second, Sakura thought Tenten was going to cry. This, however, did not happen, because Tenten had now grabbed hold of the girl's hands and had her in a headlock. They both screamed abuse at each other, especially when Tenten kept kneeing the small red head in the back, screaming at the top of her lungs.

Sakura's eyes were wide. Th-this was school?? It was more like female wrestling. The rest of the class was chanting, "Fight! Fight!" Sakura didn't dare. She thought this would only make Tenten more fired up.

"YET THE HELL OFF ME, YOU FAT BITCH!"

"FAT CHANCE, MIDGET. YOU WANTED A FIGHT, YOU'VE GOT ONE."

Was this the same seemingly quiet Tenten that Sakura had met minutes before? She was flattered that Tenten had referred to Sakura as a friend, but she really had no time to think about this. They thrashed around a lot, kicking out.

"A-ah... Inuzuka-kun?" She asked Kiba, stuttering. "Does this happen very often."

"Sometimes." He answered, casually. "It depends who you pick a fight with."

"For example," Naruto said, putting in. "Pick a fight with Ume," he pointed to the small red head. "And you'll end up being bitch-slapped round the face. Pick a fight with Tenten, and the face comes _off_."

"...I see." Sakura nodded, gulping slightly.

"Don't worry. She called you her friend. She wouldn't hurt you."

"You're positive?"

No answer.

Finally, the fight was stopped. Kakashi had intervened and pulled the girls away from each other. Lifting them up by their collars (And having to duck away slightly as Tenten clawed for the other girl) he sighed and spoke.

"Calm it." Rolling his eyes slightly, he set them down again, holding on to Tenten's shirt as she gave a few angry heave breaths, before sitting down.

"Bitch." Muttered Ume, under her breath.

And Tenten was off again. She grabbed the redhead's arm and twisted it behind her back.

"GET OFF, YOU PSYCHO! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU SMOKING?"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY, CARROT-TOP??"

"Tenten." The tall pale boy from before had grabbed Tenten, and as if she were made of rubber, he untwisted her grip from Ume.

Ume stumbled forwards and turned back to Tenten. She was just out of Tenten's reach, and this was evident from Tenten's clawing arms. The boy said nothing, but locked her in his grip.

"Let... me... go, you teme!!"

A stiff silence remained. The boy looked bored at the whole thing.

"You better watch your back, Tenten!" Ume shouted in her face. "Sleep with one eye open, because mark my words, I'm going to get you back for this. And when I do, you boyfriend wont be there to protect you."

Tenten turned bright red, either out of embarrassment of out of pure rage. She started kicking the legs of her captor, screaming abuse and a variety of words and messages too explicit for this fanfiction.

"Fujimaru-san." The boy spoke. He had a deep, mature voice. "If you're so confident, would you like me to let go of her?"

"Yes! Lets do that!! Let me go! I'll rip her a new asshole to match her ugly mug!!"

Ume did not respond to this. Instead she glared, flicked her hair and turned away from him and his squirming prisoner. Ume joined the huddle of girls in front of Sakura again. There were about 12 of them; all surrounding the dark haired boy, shoving and pinching each other. They squealed loudly, drowning out the noise that the rest of the class made.

"You're so hot... go on a date with me, please??"

"He's going out with _me_!"

"What are you talking about, he's _my _boyfriend!"

Sakura wondered. Hotness? Possessiveness? Is this what Anko-sensei had meant by calling them the 'fickle class?' Meanwhile, her attention was fixated on Tenten, whose face had gone back to its original colour. She had stopped squirming, but she still had a look in her eyes that would raise the dead.

"Neji, let go of me!"

"Are you calm?"

"YES, I'M FUCKING-"

"Apparently no."

"NEJI!"

"Oi, Sakura." Kiba nudged Sakura with his leg. She had been gripping on to his arm without even noticing it. She'd been so wrapped up in the fight... Blushing, she let go and looked up at him, and paused slightly when she thought she saw a glimpse of yellow in his eyes. "I think it's safe to get up now."

Without another word, Sakura bounded up, not showing her face to Kiba or the grinning Naruto, and sat in her seat. Neji was now going through deep breathing exercises with Tenten.

* * *

"A-ah, Tenten-san?" Sakura asked, carefully. They were now out of their classroom and exiting out of the doors after a loud, shrill bell had sounded and nearly made Sakura's heart stop. "Are you alright now?"

"Don't call me Tenten-san, it makes me feel like I'm 70. And yes, I'm just peachy."

"Tenten-chan, then? But back on topic. Thank you for defending me back there. It's the nicest thing that's happened to me in a long time."

"That's okay, pink." Tenten laced her arm in to Sakura's and they continued down the hallway.

This was all new to Sakura. Her classmates were animals, their teacher was supposedly in to porno-novels and she had just been marked as a slut. Yet, this proved troublesome for Sakura, so she started to direct her thoughts elsewhere. And besides! Now she could now get a better look at what was around. The other two times she had walked up them, she had either been dragged along by her mother or scared to death with Tomoyo. That reminded her.

Sakura looked behind her for Tomoyo, but she was nowhere in sight. Instead there was a small huddle of girls; all of which had been surrounding the boy in their classroom before. They where giggling and chattering like spring birds.

"Isn't he just the hottest?"

"His face was carved by angels, I swear it!"

They sighed in unison- something that creeped Sakura out, thoroughly.

_They're like robots..._

"Sakura?" Tenten poked her.

"Yeah?"

"This is your locker." Tenten stated, prodding one of the doors of the large metal boxes that she had seen before. "The combination is on the piece of paper that Kakashi-sensei gave you before."

Retrieving the paper from the pockets of her jeans, she read it, casually.

_5, 14, 7._

"...Okay. What do these numbers have to do with anything?"

"Don't you know how to open it?"

Sakura shook her head.

"Aha, I see. You've never been to regular school before, have you Sakura?"

A hesitation and then another shake. Tenten gave a slight laugh and showed her. Sakura didn't understand how twisting a metal knob opened a door, but she did the same and looked in.

"...It's very small... What's it for?"

"You put your books in it!" Tenten said, perkily. "When you get them, at least. Oh, come on! There are people I want you to meet."

And she took Sakura's hand and dragged her off. Sakura saw Naruto and Kiba leaning against their lockers. She tried to turn to say hi, but Tenten was dragging her in such a way that it was impossible.

"So, what do you think of Haruno?"

"She's a..."

Sakura didn't get to hear the rest of the conversation. She didn't even get to see who was saying what. All she saw was flurry of her own hair blocking her view, and other by passers staring at her.

* * *

"Uwaaah, Hinata!" Tenten ambushed a small and shy looking girl as they walked outside. The girl looked out to be extreme discomfort as Tenten lifted her off the ground in a bear hug. After setting Hinata down and twirling her around to face Sakura, Tenten smiled and started to speak again.

"Hinata, this is my new friend Sakura!"

Sakura looked at Hinata. She had a cute block fringe and hair that curled sweetly around her ears. Her hair was dark and had a steely tint in the sun. And her eyes. Her eyes were glazed and white.

"White eyes..." Sakura said, aloud, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're Hyuuga Hinata, daughter of Hyuuga Hiashi, right?"

Hinata gave a swift nod.

"And you are Haruno Sakura, daughter of Haruno Ryo and Haruno Mizu."

Sakura smiled.

"It was the eyes that gave it away."

"I-It was the hair that told me...!"

Sakura giggled and shook Hinata's hand happily. Hinata smiled cutely and shook back. Tenten, however, had no idea what had just happened. Seeing this look of flabbergast on her new friend's face, Sakura grinned.

"Our parents have worked on a lot of projects together, Tenten-san."

Tenten gave a disbelieving nod, and took both their arms, dragging them off again. In a full sprint behind the bun-haired girl, Sakura managed to catch the eyes of Hinata, who was not as scared-looking as she was.

"...Hinata," Sakura whispered. "Tenten does this a lot, doesn't she?"

"Y-yes..."

"Stop talking, you two, before you realize you're long lost twins or something else!"

* * *

It was lunchtime and Sakura was hungry. Sakura was tired. Sakura was thirsty. Sakura and another heiress to a big business were being dragged around by their arms at full speed by a girl who was probably schizophrenic. Sakura had met the first boy who was her own age a few hours ago. Sakura had clung to that same boy's arm out of fear five minutes later.

Sakura had never had a more perfect day in her life

Running round the corner, Tenten squeaked as she nearly collided with someone. It was the boy from earlier, the one who had restrained her. Sakura could now look at him without his face being obscured by Tenten's thrashing arms.

He was handsome. That was the only thing that Sakura could think.

Sakura was not experienced with boys and did not understand love. She had never even had a crush, before. Even so, all the boys she had met today- Kiba, Naruto, Neji- they were attractive. When she looked at them, she could feel the blood rushing to her face.

_  
Is this what it feels to be in love? Or do you always do this when you meet a boy?_

"You!" Tenten let go of Hinata's arm to shake an angry fist at him. "You idiot! You bastard!! You have the nerve to show your face around here, huh?"

"... I go to school here, Tenten."

"Skip the formalities! What the hell was that back there?"

Neji paused. "I stopped you from committing murder?" He smiled, confidently.

Sakura felt herself become even more captivated.

"Honestly, Tenten, you should be thanking me. I think I deserve a reward, don't you?"

"The only thing you deserve is a kick in the crotch, you filthy, little-!" Tenten reared at him. It took both of Sakura and Hinata's efforts to effectively pin her down. The smile on Neji's face had not left. In fact it had been promoted to a smirk. He bent down a little to face her. Sakura watched embarrassed. She shouldn't be watching this! Their foreheads were almost touching!

"Charming, Tenten. Do you want to know what I think?"

WHAM.

Tenten had brought her forehead to his. Sakura flinched, and she could see Hinata doing the same. Neji stepped back, rubbing his head gingerly.

"N-Neji-Nii-san! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." He turned his attention to Sakura, who was still attached to a fuming Tenten's arm. She wavered a bit as he approached her. "I'm sorry if I shocked you. If I'm not mistaken, you are Haruno-sama, right?"

"It's the hair, right? Yes, my name is Sakura. You don't have to call me Haruno-sama, though. I'm really nothing to be respected in such a way."

Neji looked surprised at this reaction, but shook hands with the girl and nodded. "A pleasure, I'm sure."

She smiled. _A natural gentleman._

"Ahh!" Hinata squeaked suddenly, blushing. "N-Naruto-kun!"

Sakura looked over her shoulder to see the blonde approaching, with Kiba and a dark haired boy on either side. After a closer look, she recognized this raven-head as the boy that the girls had been crowding around before, and now she could see why. Out of all of her encounters with males today, this one had made her blush the most. And he hadn't even talked to him yet.

"Ah, girls!" Naruto called out, beaming. "Teme, this is the new girl by the way." He addressed the boy to his right.

"I know." The dark haired boy said back. "I was there too, dobe."

This was, no doubt, the boy that the girls had been squealing about before. She wouldn't have described his face as been "carved by angels," but he was indeed very good looking. Locks of black, rebellious hair hung over his face. He was tall and his legs were long. He just looked...cool.

But looking in to his dark eyes, Sakura noticed something else.

_He seems sad..._

"Don't mind him." Kiba said, lazily, nudging towards Sasuke. His soft brown hair hung across his eyes. "He's just in a bad mood. We just rescued him from a group of girls."

"Ahaha, Teme-chan can't fight off a group of girls!" Naruto snickered, earning him a solid glare from the boy.

Sakura stepped forward. "I'm Sakura, by the way."

"Uchiha Sasuke." He said, not looking at her. He walked past, brushing against her and knocking her sideways. Sakura didn't move.

"Teme, that was overkill." Naruto called after him, but he didn't turn. Sakura wasn't sure he even heard him. Tenten, who had calmed down now, put her arm around Sakura's shoulders.

"You okay?"

"Yes!" Sakura said, suddenly. "Sorry, I spaced out for a second there." She shrugged off Tenten's arm, and turned the rest of them. "I'm just hungry, is all! Where can we get some food in this school, anyway?"

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, they were sat under a large tree near the sports field, all with food in hand. Sakura was sat between Tenten and Naruto, eating from a bento box. On her lap was a paper bag filled with a sugared doughnut that she was very much looking forward to.

"Sakura-chan, what school did you go to before?"

"Oh," Sakura said, playing with a noodle. "I was home-schooled. My parents got me all sorts of tutors and stuff, but I don't think they liked me very much." She gave a small chuckle.

"What's not to like?" Tenten chirped, happily.

"I'm dumb, I guess?" Sakura smiled brightly. "I don't do very smart things. I always had to be watched... It took a while for me to convince my parents to let me come to normal school." She paused for a second reminiscing. "I eventually broke in to a big business meeting of my Father's and started cart-wheeling around."

The rest of them laughed.

"Yeah, that was the straw that broke the camel's back..."

"Oi, Neji." Naruto said, suddenly. Neji looked at him, expectantly. "You've got something on your forehead."

Neji poked the bruise on his brow, blinking. "Ah, its a bruise. Also known as Tenten's wrath."

Tenten snickered, and folded her arms in victory. "I'm just glad I left a mark on you!"

"You want to leave a mark on me, Tenten?"

It took a second for Tenten to realize what Neji was suggesting, but when she did, it didn't take long for her to chase him around the sports field, her face red with rage and her fists swiping at him. Sakura watched in half-amusement, half-confusion. Living in a mansion all your life, subject only to the maids and your parents, does a number on your ability to decipher hidden intentions...

It took two full laps of the 800m field for Tenten to finally calm down. To Sakura's surprise, neither of them were tired in the least. Tenten, still glaring at the tall boy (who only smiled back) and took her space next to Sakura.

Sakura smacked her lips happily and took bite after bite in to her doughnut. Her parents had never really allowed her to eat sweets before - much less big rolls of bread covered in sugar and filled with jam.

"You guys?" Sakura asked, swallowing the rest of her doughnut. She had wished that she hadn't eaten it so quickly, now. "I know Hinata-chan wasn't there, but back in our classroom when that boy called me an 'R?'"

Silence. They all looked up at her, with new expressions on their faces. Sakura noticed that even the Happy-Go-Lucky Naruto looked unsure. Tenten was frowning and Neji was positively scowling.

"...Yeah..." Naruto said, slowly.

"Well, judging on the way you acted back there, so this is gonna sound super weird, but what's an 'R?'"

* * *

Ehehe, and there you have it! I wanted to do a longer chapter, so I did. It fills out 11 pages on Microsoft word...

Just so you know, the four pop stars and bands I mentioned (Alice Nine, Pierrot, Aya Matsuura, Mizuki Nana). Anyone who's really on their Naruto ball will know that Mizuki Nana voices Hinata-chan! She has a FUCKING INCREDIBLE voice that myself as a singer really admire... Go download "Eternal Blaze" and "Innocent Starter" right now!!

I'm giving Sakura a few habits as the story progresses... First, she ends her sentences with "ne" when she gets flustered... the second is something that I do as well... I wasn't originally thinking of doing it, but I thought I needed something to make her seem cute.

Ahaha... I'm so vain...

Sakura got a long well with Kiba, huh? I'm not sure why, but I can see the two being good friends... that's what I think shall happen in this story, but nothing intimate. Of course... Sasuke-kun doesn't know that... kukuku... The arm-gripping was just to set some tension for Sakura-chan and her not being around boy-ness. Maybe its because I, myself, love Kiba that I put him in the chapter? Ahaha... he's not featured in High School fanfiction very often...

Kiba Love.

End of math lesson.

* * *

**Sneak preview of next chapter:**

**"OH MY GOD!" Sakura squealed, jumping up and down. "Is that Sasuke-kun down there? WITH HIS SHIRT OFF??"**


	4. What Not To Say To Sasuke Fangirls

Chapter three, here we go! -dances- That really makes four chapters, including the prologue...

Last chapter's sneak preview was pretty fangirly, wasn't it? I'm not sure why I chose that line. Probably because I was listening to "Aesthetics and Identity" by Sasuke's seiyu Noriaki Sugiyama-san whilst choosing it, thus feeing fairly fangirly myself... Tee hee, we shall see what happens...

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. If I did, SasukexSakura would be freakin' canon by now.

* * *

**We Were Made To Be**

**Chapter Three**

**What not to say to Sasuke Fangirls**

_"I know Hinata-chan wasn't there, but back in our classroom when that boy called me an 'R?'"_

_Silence. They all looked up at her, with new expressions on their faces. Sakura noticed that even the Happy-Go-Lucky Naruto looked unsure. Tenten was frowning and Neji was positively scowling. _

_"...Yeah..." Naruto said, slowly._

_"Well, judging on the way you acted back there, this is gonna sound super weird, but what's an 'R?'"_

Everyone had stopped chewing. Hinata almost fell over, Kiba's elbow slipped off his leg and Naruto's left eye was twitching. They all looked towards the pink-haired girl in surprise.

"You mean..." Tenten spoke up, finally. "Y-you don't know?"

Sakura shook her head. This only caused everyone to exchange nervous glances with each other.

Sakura wasn't one to feel afraid, but from the reactions of her new friends, she did feel a little scared. She brought her legs to her chest and gripped them tightly. She smiled. It was fake.

"Does that mean I am one? Whatever it is? And that makes me really weird, right?"

"Nooo!" Naruto shouted, loudly. Frowning he shuffled closer - as did the rest of them. Tenten wrapped her arms around her friend again, but Sakura still remained curled up. She didn't try to escape from Tenten's embrace.

"Well," Tenten spoke up again. "Who's gonna tell her? I don't think I can, sorry..."

"I will." Neji folded his arms, maturely. "Well, the arm stands for 'Regi' as in 'Homo Regi.'"

Everyone flinched.

"Its some sort of Latin thing, I dunno." Naruto chimed in. For once, his voice was not loud and in singsong. It was direct, hushed and to the point. This only confirmed Sakura's fears even more so.

"They're a race of life forms, created from Human DNA." Neji continued. "The originals existed about 80 years ago, I believe. They were supposed to be incredibly beautiful and superior to humans... They were super-human, I suppose. They were stronger, faster... but they weren't supposed to be freethinking. I think they were supposed to be programmed as servants or something."

"That's terrible!" Sakura spoke up, angrily, ignoring the looks that the others gave her. "I'm sorry if this insults anyone, or whatever, it shouldn't... but how can you create a person, just to banish them to a life of slavery?"

Everyone hesitated. Neji opened his mouth, as if to say something, but closed it.

"...But continue with the story, please..." Sakura said, quietly. Perhaps it was best for her to keep quiet in the meantime...

"But they could think." Kiba interrupted, loudly. "They tricked the creators in to thinking that they were obedient, but they were evil, really. Plotting... Rumor has it they killed one of their babies in their sleep, and then cried about it to turn the blame on the scientists."

"That's just a rumor! That didn't really happen."

"Did so!"

"Did not!

"Did so!"

"Did not multiplied by _**ten**_."

"Did so multiplied by-"

"MOVING SLOWLY ONWARDS." Tenten shouted over the arguing boys. They halted their discussion and turned back to the bun-haired girl. "Anyway, one night, the Regi rebelled and escaped the laboratory where they were being kept, and blended in with regular people. Supposedly they... you know... _bred _with regular humans? Its impossible to tell them apart... Unless one of them blasted through a wall or something."

"But every so often, one of them appears, years later, supposedly when there's a reaction with the parents DNA. It always causes a little scandal with the media, because Regi are always beautiful and intelligent. And this person is only about sixteen? They couldn't have been one of the originals."

"So it proves they're still out there." Tenten finished. "There could be hundreds of thousands of descendants! It's kind of scary. Regi are dangerous. That's why they're hated... Didn't you learn about in History tutoring or from your parents or something?"

Sakura shook her head. She had never heard this from her tutors or from her parents. Why hadn't they told her about something like this? Why was she the only one that didn't know?

"So..." She said, quietly. "When that boy called me an R, he was saying I was one of them."

They nodded.

"And now everyone thinks I'm one of them?

"No, I don't think so," Neji said, crossing his legs. "If they did, they wouldn't have accepted you at all. Plus anyway, it was Keiji who said it. No one's going to believe what that little rat says, even if you were an 'R'."

"Which you're not."

"K-Keiji-san always lies." Hinata added, quietly.

_**ABARINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNG.**_

Sakura fell over. Everyone else just looked up.

Ah, Sakura-chan?" Naruto poked her. "That was just the bell, you know."

"I know! I know!" Sakura stood up and dusted off her jeans. She was flustered and red in the face. "But why has it got to be so loud and obnoxious? It's just scary. I'll never get used to it, ever!"

Kiba snorted. "Cute," he said simply. "What class have you got next, Sakura?"

"Erm..." Sakura dug in her bag for her timetable that Kakashi had given her bag in the classroom, blushing slightly at Kiba's 'cute' comment. Running her fingers down the "I have Math." She moaned. Back when she was tutored, she had hated Math. It wasn't as if she couldn't do it, it was just that it was completely useless. When would she have needed to find the cosine of a triangle in real life?

"Same." Kiba and Naruto spoke up in unison, with an equal amount of displeasure in their voices. Sakura gave a sympathetic smile. At least she wasn't alone in it all. She would have hated it if she were the only one in the group with it.

"Teme's with us as well." Naruto groaned. "He's in such a bad mood today, I don't know what's with him..."

Sakura picked up her bag and smiled. "Maybe its PMS? Who cares, really? Come on now, I don't wanna be late."

"Sakura, you better meet me outside my locker at the end of school! If you don't, Neji won't be there to stop me!" Tenten called after her, before grabbing Neji and Hinata and running in the other direction - towards the South building.

Sakura chuckled happily and waved bye to the other three. Hinata just about managed to wave before being dragged round a corner.

"Oi, oi, Sakura." Kiba called. Sakura saw him and Naruto walking quickly. "Hurry up. You'll get lost."

* * *

The Math classroom was interesting enough, Sakura thought. The desks were arranged in groups of four around the classroom. A large band of Sasuke Fangirls were already in the room, giggling loudly. Sakura was about to enter the classroom, before someone pulled her back. She turned around to see Sasuke holding her wrist, looking angry.

"I don't want to sit with one of theme for an hour and a half." He hissed.

"Don't mind him. We always have a plan when entering classrooms." Said Naruto, nodding, pulling her closer in to the group to make sure she was 100 out of the view of the other girls. "You don't want to have to sit with Sasuketards, do you, Sakura-chan?"

They huddled for a second. The plan was formulated. Their target was the last empty table closest to the window.

Sakura, to her dismay was the key to this plan. SHE was to go in first.

"If me or Naruto go first, they'll know Sasuke is close!" Kiba explained, whispering. "It's got to be you."

Sakura cringed.

Entering the classroom, she flicked her hair casually before setting her bag and books down on one of the four seats. She then hurried to the window as the boys had instructed and put on her most shrill, high-pitched voice.

"OH MY GOD!" Sakura squealed, jumping up and down and pointing to a huddle of older students that were standing on the ground below. They were four floors up, and it was near impossible to discriminate between faces. "Is that Sasuke-kun down there? WITH HIS SHIRT OFF??"

Sakura was nearly bowled over by the hoard of rushing girls. The din that was created from them rebounded around the classroom. Barely managing to squeeze through the crowd, Sakura tiptoed back to the space that she had put her bag and sat next to Kiba. Naruto and Sasuke were sitting opposite them. They all smiled at her. Even Sasuke managed some sort of smirk.

"Very nice, Sakura-chan." Naruto sniggered. "You'd make a good Fangirl."

Sakura frowned and kicked him under the desk. A smile grew on her face when she saw how much pain he was in.

"Idiot." She said, simply.

"Did you have to make the shirtless reference, though?" Sasuke drawled, almost as if he had to find something complain about, lest he be unsatisfied. "Now they're all going to ask me to take it off."

"And will you? Sorry, I was just wrapped up in the moment, Sasuke-kun." She retorted, happily, druming her dainty fingers on the desk. "Would you rather I moved so one of those other girls could sit here?"

He said nothing, and went back to ignoring everyone.

"Wahh, I don't see Sasuke-kun..."

"Where is he? I want to see a half naked Sasuke-kun!"

"WAIT." Shouted one of them. The four of them froze. Sakura moved her head to look over Naruto's shoulder, and saw the redheaded Ume Fujimaru leading a pack of vicious looking girls in their death glare. One second, they were by the window. The next, their whole table was surrounded by them. 8 of them were clung on to Sasuke, shrieking loudly. Sasuke was most definitely **not **in his happy place. "He's been here all along! That bitch wants him for herself!"

"WHAT? Who is she?"

"I dunno, I've never seen her before..."

Sakura closed her eyes and tried to think of her happy place, despite the fact that Sasuke was not in his. That's what Tomoyo had always told her to do when she got angry. _Find a happy place... Find a happy place..._

"I know her!" Ume spoke up again, looking proud with herself. "She's Haruno Sakura. Don't be fooled by the famous family name, though, she's such a whore."

"THE HELL?" Sakura stood up, angrily. Happy place was GONE.

"Sit, Sakura." Kiba said, plainly. "Just ignore them."

"It's fucking easy for you to say." Snapped Sasuke, quietly. The girls had started messing up his hair and swaying from side to side.

Sakura huffed loudly. But she did was she was told and sat, but she was not at all pleased, especially when 6 other girls had surrounded her and started to pick and pinch at her.

"Does she think she has a chance with Sasuke-kun?" One of them said. "What dimension does she come from?"

"What's with this hair, anyway? Weird, much?"

"She's so flat. Sasuke-kun would never like anyone who was lacking so much in cl-"

"GET AWAY FROM ME." Sasuke stood up, slamming his fists on the desk.

Sakura had never seen so much anger and hatred in a person's eyes before. Sakura had always been good at predicting people's thoughts and emotions from their eyes, but she had never seen complexity that could challenge the amount in Sasuke's eyes that moment. Detestation. Wrath. Coldness. Melancholy. They were all there. Sakura could even feel herself going glassy-eyed herself, but immediately snapped out of it when Sasuke shouted again. "Leave me and my friends alone!"

_Friends? Including me? No, it couldn't be. He doesn't know me very well. _

Then Sakura realized it. A few hours ago, Sakura had met her first boy. Now she was sitting in a table-group with _three _of them. To make it worse, she had blushed when she had met all of them. Was she in love with them all? Was she no better then those girls?

The girls were still in shock over Sasuke's words. A lot of them were opening and closing their mouths, as if deciding whether or not to argue. They gaped like fish. A few of them burst in to tears.

"Move." He said, coldly and finally.

And with that, they did. Most of them, anyway. Ume and a few others remained.

"S-Sasuke-kun..." One of them said, battering her eyelashes and pouting. It didn't work, though. He dismissed her as icily has he had the others. Most of them decided to pack their bags as well, until it was only Ume left standing.

"Sasuke-kun, why are you acting like this?? Don't you see we're meant to be?"

The look Sasuke gave that girl was enough to make her feel one inch high

"Wow. Fangirls come with a lot more balls nowadays." Naruto snickered to himself.

And it happened.

Ume had smacked Naruto full on in the face. Her nails had caught against his face and dragged along. Naruto paused, his hands over where he had been hit. The whole table paused for a second, until Naruto brought his hand away. Three long cuts were scrawled along his face, and his hands were stained in his own blood.

Sasuke and Kiba had risen, ready to roar, but someone had beaten him to it, for Ume was bent over, gasping in. Her long red hair was gathered in the fist of another girl, who had apparently been blessed with her mother's infamous death glare.

"S-Sakura-chan."

Sakura had caught both of the girl's hands behind her. Her foot was square in the middle of Ume's back. Any pressure applied would result in Ume's elbow's coming out of their sockets.

Sakura leaned forward to speak in to the redhead's ear.

Through gritted teeth, Sakura spoke in blood-curdling undertones, "Leave my friend's alone, you ignorant, little fool."

And with that, Sakura pushed Ume forward with her foot. The girl fell to her knees, and turned back to glare, but decided against it when she saw the look on Sakura's face which clearly outclassed the one that she was going to throw.

Without another word, she hurried back to her friends, who immediately gave sour looks in Sakura's direction. One of them was even gusty enough to give Sakura the one-finger-salute, but luckily for her, it wasn't seen.

Sakura sat down and dusted off her hands. She could feel the three of them looking at her, and accidentally glanced upwards at them. Even Sasuke's mouth hung ajar a little, which only meant that Naruto's and Kiba's were practically reaching the ground. Lacing her fingers and looking down, blushing. "I'm sorry you had to see that." She uttered shyly.

* * *

Five minutes later, the familiar looking white haired teacher entered the room, carrying mug full of strong coffee. He didn't pause to look at them. He only said, "Sorry I'm late. I was mourning the tragic loss of my pot plant, Ukki-kun."

"Lies." Kiba mouthed at Sakura, and then did a very accurate impression of Kakashi-sensei reading his book. Sakura giggled.

"Ah, Naruto." He said, finally. Naruto looked at him, forgetting to cover his scratches. When he realized, it was too late. "Naruto, you do realize your face is bleeding, do you not?"

"It is?"

"...Yes. What happened?"

Naruto paused for a second to think of a good excuse, but it was obvious he had abandoned this idea when a large, mischievous grin overcame his face. "Sasuke-teme was feeling particularly pubescent." And immediately, he stood up, before Sasuke could strangle him.

"...I see. Have you notified Sasuke that there are pills you can take for days like those?"

Thud. Sasuke had smacked his hand to his face, probably to cover the anger that was obviously plastered across it. Kiba and Sakura were both busting arteries in their attempts to keep their laughter hidden.

"Sakura, take Naruto to the nurse please. You might just learn your way around the school."

Not a chance, thought Sakura, through narrowed eyes. But she agreed to Kakashi's proposal and exited the classroom, leaving Sasuke to glare at Kiba who had not been bothered enough to contain his laughter any more.

* * *

Minutes passed, and so did the corridors. For once, Sakura didn't take time to look at the school. Still, neither of them had said anything, and Sakura was actually very glad of it. She still felt embarrassed about assaulting someone she barely knew in such a way, even if she had attacked one of her friends. She regretted it... now everyone was going to think she was crazy.

"Sakura-chan?"

Sakura looked up to see Naruto's blue eyes, staring through her. He was smiling, but his eyes were still sad.

_This boy seems very lonely..._

"Thank you, Sakura-chan." He said, plainly, looking ahead again and putting his hands in to the pockets of his cargo pants. "For what you did, I mean. In a weird way, it was really nice of you."

"Ahaha..." Sakura managed a weak laugh, rubbing the back of her neck in embarrassment. "Ne, it was nothing, Naruto. Please, forget about it... it was very unreasonable of me to do such a thing to someone I don't know very well... Actually..." Her bright green eyes met his. "I'm worried that everyone will think I'm some kind of monster because of it."

"Sakura-chan, are you still stressed because of that whole 'R' thing?"

"A-A little bit..."

Naruto sighed and hung a quick left. She trotted after him, expectantly. He finally looked at her. "Sakura-chan, I've known you for one day- no- less than that, even. I don't know you very well, at all, but for some reason, I feel very close to you. For some reason, I have good feelings about you, Sakura. I know you're a good person, and you're a friend of mine now because of it. And I know that you're Kiba's friend too, and Sasuke's. But Teme doesn't want to admit it, is all."

And for once, Sakura could look at Naruto without blushing. Naruto's attractive features did not cloud this look like they usually did. She wasn't looking at his face. She was looking at his thoughts... For once, she could think about what Naruto was really saying. It was touching.

"Thank you, Naruto."

* * *

"AAAH, SAKURA."

Sakura was shot forward as someone jumped on her back. As soon as she could see a pair of tanned arms wrap around her, she knew who it was. Smiling, she picked up the girl's legs in to a piggyback.

"Hello, Tenten. I waited, just like you said."

"Never mind that!" She shouted angrily, opening her locker and withdrawing her books, whilst still perched on Sakura's back. "Neji told me all about it! How you took on that bitch, Ume. Its weird, but I feel you've avenged me!"

Sakura laughed, but then thought. "How does Neji know?"

"A girl you don't know called Temari told him. And Kiba told her. The whole school is talking about it!"

Sakura felt her heart drop. Indeed, she could see as she scanned the faces of her fellow students, that they all glanced at her and grinned. One boy had even given her a thumbs-up!

"A-Ah, Tenten. What I did was wrong, and now the whole school thinks I'm mental, right?"

"Are you kidding? Everyone hates Ume. Even her fellow Fangirls do, but then again, all the Fangirls hate each other."

Sakura felt, somewhat better. As Tenten gave her directions, the front door (still from Sakura's back) Sakura was greeted several times by about ten other students. One pretty girl had even shook her hand as they passed her. Sakura was taken aback.

"I _LOVE _you.Thank you. You're my freaking hero. My only regret is that it wasn't me in your position," She said with a low, confident voice. "Trust me, I would have done it if I was given the chance." She laughed. " Haruno Sakura-san. I've heard a lot about you. I believe our mothers know each other quite well."

"...You're welcome?"

" Sakura, this is Temari. She's in the year above us, but her brothers are in Hinata's class. We have gym with her." Tenten said, happily. "Temari is my co-worker in the wonderful field of ass-kick."

Sakura felt weird about hearing Tenten talking about her escapades in 'the wonderful field of ass-kick,' especially since she herself considered Tenten to look adorable and cute. After all, she was petite and sweet-faced, and her voice was high-pitched. Her hair made her look like a panda, for god's sake. She looked about as dangerous as _Hinata_. Though, looks can be deceiving, she considered... She also thought that she shouldn't annoy Hinata, either... just in case.

Temari, however, looked a lot more ass-kick-worthy. She was slightly taller than Sakura and curvy, yet she looked sort of muscular. She had an aggressive, determined face and teal eyes and wore an assertive grin, along with a denim mini-skirt, combat boots and a pair of grey leggings. Her sandy blonde hair was brought back in to four bunches with a jagged fringe covering her forehead.

"Although, if I do hear that little twerp spreading rumors about you, honey, it'll probably be me with her at my mercy." She chortled. "By the way, Kiba-kun speaks highly of you, Haruno-san. I think he was impressed, and that lazy git's not easily impressed."

Sakura snickered cheekily before bidding this new girl adieu and setting towards the front door. Heading out of the two tall doors and down the stairs, Sakura smiled as the sun hit her face. The two girls giggled as Sakura ran down the stairs and almost collided with one Uchiha Sasuke halfway down. He for once was not encircled by babbling females.

"Ah! Sorry Sasuke-kun!" Sakura laughed breezily, before dancing past him. She waved back at him, hopping down the last step and turning the corner in to the front gardens. Sasuke must have been so confused.

"So where are going now, Sakura?" Tenten asked as Sakura hitched her up her back a little. "Do you wanna come to my house?"

"Ne, Tenten, I'm really sorry, but as much as I would absolutely _love _to do that, my mom told me to wait for the limo. I think my dad is coming home today after being in Russia... Maybe some other time, okay?"

Sakura carried her friend on to the sidewalk, where Neji and Hinata joined them. Neji amused himself by poking Tenten and making witty comments whilst she tried to swipe at him. Hinata held on to Sakura's arm, helping to balance her.

As the four of them walked down the street a little, Sakura saw a familiar person. Her own mother was standing outside the limo, dressed in a yellow vest top and three-quarter length jeans, opposed to the power-suit she had worn that morning. Tomoyo stood by her side, waving at her. Her blonde pigtails had been exchanged for a single side-ponytail.

"Mom!" Sakura shouted, running towards her. Tenten shrieked a little, but it didn't stop her from trying to claw Neji's eyes out. Sakura skidded to a halt in front of her mother, who planted a kiss on her daughter's forehead and lowered her large sunglasses.

"Sweetie, who are all these people?" She said, laughing a bit and smiling at all the faces.

"These are my friends, mom!"

"Hi, you guys. I guess you already know who I am, though."

"You sure don't look like a mom." Tenten piped up. "You look like an older sister!"

Before her mother could react, Neji put on his _serious _face again. Hinata joined him in this practice as Sakura stepped back a little. Tenten rested her chin on her friend's shoulder to watch. The Hyuuga cousins stepped around Sakura and Tenten, towards Sakura's mother, almost in unison and bowed in respect. Sakura almost burst out laughing. She could hear Tenten hold her breath, probably for the same reason.

"Mizu Haruno-sama, my name is Hyuuga Neji, son of Hizashi Hyuuga, and this is my cousin." Neji said, plainly, shaking the woman's hand. It was odd to try and believe that this was the same boy who had been chased around a football pitch two times by a small girl.

"Hyuuga Hinata. Pleased to meet you." Hinata said in equally serious tones. The two of them bowed again.

"Hi, Sakura's mom!" Tenten waved in a much more casual fashion. She was still piggybacking on Sakura. "I'm Tenten. I don't know if you know my mother, Mingming or not, but if you do then that would be really fun."

Sakura's mother sighed and chuckled, still staggered at the amount of people that stood around her daughter. "Sakura, honey, I never expected you to make so many friends on your first day."

"Didn't you?" Tenten spoke up, again. "Sakura's really great! Its not so surprising that she has so many friends already. And this isn't all of us, either! There's..." Tenten counted on her fingers. "Eight of us, if you count Temari!"

"I suppose you're right, Tenten. I shouldn't have doubted poor Sakura." Sakura's mother, flattened down her own tresses of pink hair. "Sakura, I'm sorry to break you and your friends apart, but your father's coming home tonight, and to keep him waiting would mean the end of the world. For him, anyway."

"Okay, mom." Sakura chimed, setting Tenten down. She received a big hug from the girl as soon as she did this.

"See you tomorrow, Sakura!" Tenten sung, walking down the street with the Hyuuga cousins. Hinata and Neji waved back at her as well.

For the first time ever, Sakura was so happy she could cry. In fact, when she hugged her mother, she started to sob in to her shirt. Her mother hugged her back, and sighed.

"Sakura, I'm so proud of you."

Of course, this only made Sakura cry even more.

* * *

Sitting with her mother and Tomoyo in the back of the limo, Sakura didn't think her day could have gone more perfectly, despite the fact that she had confronted Ume. In fact, she felt even happier because of that minor skirmish. It was better than the day that she and her mother had left the house to go traveling for a month. It was better than discovering J-Rock for the first time.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Sakura jumped and swung round to the window, where standing outside the door, rapping on the frosted glass with his knuckles, was Sasuke. Sakura gasped and immediately wound the windows down.

"Sasuke-kun, hi!" She said, leaning out of the car a little. "What's up?"

"Oi, Haruno." He bent down slightly to face her, and passed a pair of sunglasses, identical to Sakura's mothers, through the window. "You dropped them when you ran around me just now."

"Ah, sorry about that, Sasuke-kun. Thank you, anyway!"

"...Have you been crying, Haruno?"

"Huh? No, why?"

"Your eyes are bloodshot."

"A-ah... Oh! I was crying. I'll tell you about it tomorrow, okay?"

"Hn."

He stepped back from the limo and allowed it to drive away. Sakura leaned out of the window and waved to him. "Bye, Sasuke-kun!"

She watched him fade in to the distance, before pulling herself back in to the car. Winding up the window, humming a tune happily, she turned to face her mother again and inform her on what happened, when she was a large, cocky grin on her face.

"...What?"

"Nothing, nothing." She tittered, flicking her wrist back and forth, curling her long pink hair around an elegant finger. Her painted red nails clashed wonderfully with it. After a pause, she spoke again, "And who was that, oh daughter of mine?"

"That was Sasuke-kun!" Sakura explained, joyously, whilst putting her sunglasses safely back in her purse. "Uchiha Sasuke-kun. I guess he's a friend of mine, I'm not sure really."

"_Uchiha Sasuke-kun_? He's seemed worried about you, this _Uchiha Sasuke-kun_, don't you think?"

"Umm... maybe. I didn't really notice."

"He's kind of _cute_, this _Uchiha Sasuke-kun_, isn't he?"

Sakura swiftly turned bright red, and started shaking her head rapidly. "Nooooo! N-no, no, it's not like that at all, mom! I don't like Sasuke-kun in that way at all! And vice-versa, I'm not sure he even likes me! I mean we didn't even talk that much." Sakura's expression fell as both her mother and Tomoyo beside her had a sort of joke-sneer on their faces. "...You don't believe me do, you?"

They both shook their heads. For the rest of the journey, she could not look her mother in the face.

* * *

I feel kind of evil as puttin the whole "IS THAT SASUKE-KUN??" thing as the sneak preview for the previous chapter... Especially when it mislead quite a few people... XD Sorry!!!

Aww... Poor Sakura-chan doesn't understand love very well, ne? It's not surprising, really...

I like Sakura-chan's development in this chapter... I want her to seem very innocent, but I want her to be able to stand up for her friends... I also want a more angry side to her... I want a lot, huh? I'm very hard to please...

I also didn't feel like taking away the finesse that Tenten has by giving her a family name, so I just called her mother Mingming, after one of my good friends. Mingming Cheung. Ming-chan is a big Naruto fan like me.

Review please! I'd like that very much... Reviews are basically the driving force that makes be want to continue fics... Favs and story alerts are nice, too, but Reviews are the best.


	5. What Not To Break Whilst On The Phone

Chapter four! -Bows- my longest chapter so far... Sorry if it gets painful to read... Thank you to all of you who have supported me so far, though. When I get more reviews, I think I'll to a Kiriban thing or something... Like the 25th review gets a bonus chapter dedicated to their favorite couple or something... That would be fun!

In this chapter, we know that Sakura named her tree "Tomo." In Japanese, this means "Wisdom" or "Intellect" if I'm correct. It can also mean "Friend", I think.

**Disclaimer** I don't own Naruto. I have no witty comment directed at the disclaimer at this moment.

* * *

**We were made to be**

**Chapter Four**

**What not to break whilst on the phone**

It was that time of the month for Sakura. Not the time that you may be thinking of, which concerns stomach cramping and the sheer mention of it can cause grown men to run in terror. No, it was one of the rare days that her father was home in Konoha after traveling around goodness knows where. Last week he had been in Russia. Next week, he was going to Boston, USA.

The Haruno family was often in three places at once. As well as Sakura's father, Haruno Mizu was often traveling due to business. There were times where Sakura would be left at home with the maids, and not see either of her parents for weeks.

But the Haruno's were soon learning to trust their daughter. That was the reason that they had allowed her to attend regular school, after all. And after her mother had seen Sakura's friends just hours before, she had learnt that Sakura was no longer a little girl.

Sakura would always be Mizu's baby, though. She always reminded her daughter about that.

* * *

"Sakura, my darling." Her father entered through the doors, his arms wide open. Sakura ran down the stairs and practically jumped at her father. "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" 

"Dad, aren't you gonna ask about my day?" His daughter hopped around him.

"At dinner, I will, sweetie. Where's your mother?"

"Upstairs, I think."

"Thanks, Sakura." Her father delivered a kiss to her cheek and walked up the stairs whilst loosening his tie and ruffling up his previously perfect hair. Sakura smiled and walked towards the gardens. Her father hated being neat. Her mother had prayed every night that her daughter didn't inherit his untidiness, and thankfully she had got her wish. Sakura couldn't stand mess. It was just that if she tried to clean it, the maids would take over within a moment's notice.

* * *

The grounds of the Haruno mansion were large and filled with flowers. The whole family loved flowers, so they had the biggest garden within a five-mile radius, and Sakura's father constantly bragged about it. 

It was nearing spring now, and then Sakura would be able to run amongst the new blossoms like she did every year. For now, though, she occupied herself with the swing she and her father had made when she was four. It hung from the branch of the biggest tree in their grounds - a very large and very old oak tree, that Sakura had affectionately named "Tomo".

She perched herself on it and began to swing.

With every push and every pull, Sakura came closer to touching the blue sky that dominated the landscape. For some reason, it reminded her of her friends. Actually, now that Sakura came to think of it, everything reminded Sakura of her friends, despite the fact that she had met them just hours before. The pure white rosebuds were Hinata. The wild, long grass in the deeper garden, which was in need of mowing, was Kiba. And just looking at the blue sky above her that was slowly morphing in to shades of red and gold reminded her of...

_Sasuke-kun._

For the fifth time that evening, Sakura had come to dwell on her mother's teasing in the limo coming back.

Haruno Sakura did not understand love. This was obvious. She thought she had fallen in love every time she met a male that morning, and corrected herself of it only moments later. She wasn't in love with Neji, Kiba or Naruto, she was sure of it. But every time she looked at Sasuke, she was unsure.

And that's what made her mother's teasing so infuriating.

"Its because I don't know him very well, yet." Sakura told herself whilst swinging higher and higher until she finally stood up on it. Her mother hated her doing this, but she felt the need today. "Every time I got to know the other boys better, I realized it. So obviously, that realization hasn't happened yet. It will though. I'm sure of it."

But she wasn't sure of it. It was enough to make her tear out every last flower from the garden.

"Miss Sakura!" Said a voice from before. Sakura looked down in midswing to see the elderly housekeeper, Satomi, trotting towards the tree, holding the phone in her hands. "Phone for you!"

"Who is it, Satomi?" Sakura said as she gradually slowed to a halt.

"A 'Miss Tenten' for you, my dear." She said, fondly, placing the phone in her young mistress's hands.

Sakura placed the phone to her ear. She'd just talked to Tenten exactly - she checked her watch - three ours ago. School ends at three. It was now six. Was it something important?

"Hello?" She asked.

"Sakura!" Came the voice back. It was high and melodic; Tenten's voice. "Heya! How are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you," Sakura said, hopping off her swing with refinement and making her steady way back up the garden. "But Tenten, how did you get my phone number?"

"It was in my mother's contact book." She explained. "My mom's an actress, see. And she said that she met your mom once when she went in to your mom's cafe. It was a coincidence really. I think they meant to call each other back but never did."

"That sounds like my mom." Sakura chuckled and set herself down on the steps of the wooden porch, holding the phone between her shoulder and ear. "Oh, and how are you? And why are you calling me?"

"Because I wanted to talk to you, of course!"

"But... we just talked a few hours ago..."

"So?"

Suddenly, there was a mighty crash, and Sakura almost dropped the phone. Grabbing for it in the hair, she clutched on and brought it to her ear again. Silence... and the more noise. She could hear the sounds of thuds and stomps in the background behind Tenten's talking. Suddenly she could hear Tenten lurch and another clatter. Something smashed in the distance.

"...Tenten? Are you okay?"

"Yup! Why?"

"I can hear _big _noises in the background... And was that a plate smashing or something?"

"Huh? Oh that's just Neji and me. We're training."

Another clatter and a _smash_. Sakura flinched at the loud noises. Sakura HATED loud noises. The maids watched her in confusion as she squirmed about on the porch, whilst talking on the phone.

"Tenten-chan!" Hinata's high voice was raised – something that didn't happen very often. "Look what you broke!"

"Training?? Training for _what_?"

"Martial arts, of course! We're just sparring."

"Whilst talking to me on the phone?"

"A-yup-yup! Oh, wait. Neji wants to talk to you. Here Neji- catch!"

Sakura coughed at the weirdness of this all. She had guessed that Tenten had done some sort of martial arts training, but she'd never thought of being in a conversation where she was training. Another crash, and Sakura heard the phone being thrown through the air and a muffling noise, which she guess was Neji, nimbly catching it.

"Good evening, Sakura." She heard his deep, cool voice say. He didn't sound nearly as flustered as Tenten did. "Thank you for introducing us to your mother, by the way. How has the rest of your day been?"

"N-Not nearly as scary as yours sounds, Neji."

"Scary? Oh, that's just Tenten."

"HEY." Sakura heard Tenten yell.

"Yes, she tends to go a_** little over the top when we spar**_," Neji hinted, loudly in Tenten's direction. "I'm afraid I have to go, Sakura. She's got that crazy look in her eyes, again. We shall talk to you tomorrow, alright?"

And then all was left was the tone. Sakura set down the phone, wondering about what the hell had just happened.

And she clapped her hands together in conclusion. "Okay. My friends are morons. Even the smart ones."

"Who are morons, Haruno-sama?"

Sakura spun round to see Tomoyo standing behind her with a tall broom in hand. She had changed out of her polo shirt and jeans and was now clad in her work uniform. She smiled and swept the steps where the younger girl was sitting.

"Just my school friends. Speaking of school, did you have a nice time? Did you make some new friends, Tomoyo?"

She only nodded with same old smile on.

"Who?"

"A few girls in the other class. I requested that I switch classes, so the principal let me. She was very nice about it."

"EH?" Sakura jumped up and started shaking the maid to and fro. "Why did you do that? You were supposed to be my nee-san!"

"I can still be your nee-san, Haruno-Sama. I wanted to move because I saw I wasn't needed."

Sakura said nothing as Tomoyo shepherded her in to the house again.

"Your mother," She continued as she switched her broom for a feather duster, "Instructed me to watch out for you and make sure you didn't get in to any trouble. But after I saw that you did fine on your own, I knew that I wasn't necessary there and thought it would be better if I stayed out the way a bit. Does that make sense to you, Haruno-sama?"

"I suppose." Sakura shrugged, slipping off her shoes at the doormat. "So what's the other class like? A couple of my friends are in it, as well."

"They're very... interested in Uchiha-sama." She said, choosing her words carefully. "Though, I get a long with a lot of them. They even suggested I join their Uchiha Appreciation Club. Can you imagine that, Haruno-sama? Having your own fan club?"

"Ohoho, I'm sure Sasuke-kun would enjoy that..." Sakura grimaced.

Tomoyo only smiled and started to dust and giving commands to some of the newer maids. "I'm not entirely sure why he's so well-liked, to be perfectly honest." She wiped the dust of the mantelpiece. "I mean, he might be nice to look at, but he's very cold... I didn't see him smile once."

Sakura didn't say anything. She had seen Sasuke smile, even though it was more of a negligible smirk. It sort of counted, though, right?

-------------

"So, Sakura!" Her father smiled from across the table. "I've been wanting to say this for so long... how was school?"

Sakura grinned back. "It was great, daddy. I made lots of new friends!"

The Haruno family was in their airy dining room, all wearing their best clothes. After all, it wasn't often that they were all together, and her mother had always made a tremendous occasion of it. They were all to dress up, and tonight, Sakura was wearing a lavender summery dress with a scarlet kimono-like ribbon.

"I see." He nodded, ruffling his daughter's hair. "What their names?"

"Tenten, Neji, Hinata-chan, Naruto, Kiba-kun and Sasuke-kun."

"Ah. _Boys_, huh?" Her father gave a slight laugh with a lot less enthusiasm then usual. "I knew we should have sent her to a girls school, Mizu."

"Its fine, dear." Sakura's mother patted her husband's hand before Sakura could shout abuse at him. "I've met one of them, Neji-kun. He's Hyuuga Hizashi's son, you know. Very polite and refined. His cousin was there too! They were like a well-oiled machine... You just wait until you meet him, Ryo, you'll like him straight away. He's simply charming."

"Ah, but that's just one of them, dear. There are four boys and only three girls!"

"Not if you count Temari-san." Sakura chirped. "I don't know her very well yet, though. And I don't know Sasuke-kun very well either." Sakura's smile faded a little. "I'm not even sure if he likes me, dad."

"Sakura's got a good sense of character, she always has had. She wouldn't make friends with anyone unpleasurable."

Haruno Ryo looked at his wife through narrowed eyes and poured himself some wine. "You've changed, my dear."

Her mother only smiled and started to eat her rice. Sakura did the same before her father could fire questions at her as well. _Honestly_, she thought. _Father's so old-fashioned_...

* * *

"Ahaha, he said that?" Tenten giggled, leaning on her locker as Sakura continued to rub the sleep out her eyes. "Dad's don't get it, do they? My father's the same way." She put on a gruff voice. "'Don't touch that tree, Tenten! It might rape you!' They just don't think. Ah... speaking of_ not thinking_." 

"Silence." Said a deep voice from behind Sakura. She recognized it to be none other than Hyuuga Neji, judging by the look on Tenten's face - a mix between irritation and indigestion. Neji looked as calm as ever, his long hair swishing around his back as he opened his locker and stuffed inside his coat. It was colder today - so much that Sakura wore legwarmers and thick white stockings over her denim skirt, which her mother demanded must reach her knees. Neji's locker was, to the ultimate pleasure of everyone else, right next to Tenten's. "That was your fault."

"Oh yeah, the sparring." Sakura gave a nervous glance towards Tenten. She attempted to open her own locker, but failed. She didn't understand these stupid metal boxes. "If you guys are going to call me, please don't when you're training... or breaking plates."

"That was Tenten." Neji said, in a 'My-word-is-law' kind of voice. "She broke a priceless Hyuuga heirloom that **she is going to pay for**."

"Actually, it was Neji." Tenten retorted, in an 'I-shall-spit-on-your-law' kind of voice. "His fat head knocked it over, so I'm not paying for it. You can ask Hinata, she'll say the same thing."

"Tenten!"

"How can I pay for something thats 'priceless' anyway? That's like, Kiba logic!"

"Just don't, okay?" Sakura said, exasperatedly, breaking up the arguement. "Especially if you're going to break things. I don't like loud noises, okay?"

"Aww." Tenten hugged her friend kindly. "Okay, pink. You should try it, though. Train with me one day, kay?" Taking Sakura and Neji, Tenten started to lead them to their classroom, for once ignoring Neji's wit-filled comments.

* * *

They were just up the hall from their room and closing in slowly. Tenten had let go of the sleeves of her friends and reduced her pace to that of a funeral march. It wasn't as if Sakura was complaining, though. She liked mornings but hated getting up. The only thing that she didn't like about going to school was having to wake up obscenely early five days a week. 

That and the Fangirls, at least.

"Tenten-san!" Said a voice from behind them, followed by the thunder of running steps. The three turned around, and a tall black-haired boy was approaching quickly. Although he was tall and black-haired he was nothing like Sasuke. He was about the same height - maybe a little shorter - but his hair was almost a bowl cut. Sakura looked straight in to his eyes like she did with everyone she met, but regretted it seconds later. Unlike everyone else, this boy's feelings were not entirely clear. She saw... youth. And a lot of it. Enthusiasm and a passion for living. That, and two hairy caterpillars of eyebrows above them.

He skidded to a halt, and looked at Sakura suddenly.

She looked back.

"T-Tenten-san, who is this girl?" He said, sweat appearing on his brow. This only further creeped out Sakura.

"This is Sakura..." Tenten smiled nervously. "Um, Sakura, this is Lee."

"Ahaha... It's nice to meet you, Lee-san." Sakura gave a nervous wave that was more like a spasm of the fingers.

"It is most definitely wonderful to meet you, Sakura-san! I am Rock Lee, at your service!" He announced, getting down on one knee in front of Sakura and taking her hands in to his. "Sakura-san! Fate must be against us! You are in the other class from me... But I will live on! For you are an angel! Your beauty is that of a thousand starry nights - no... A million!" He gave her his best smile and rose again, still with her hands enclosed in his.

Sakura's eyes widened a little, but she closed them again, massaging the back of her neck in embarrassment. "I'm glad you think so..."

"Of course I think so! You are wonderful. I promise to protect you until the day I die!"

Although the initial shock of this was enough to send Sakura's brain in to hibernation, she didn't feel threatened in any way - just quite astonished at being greeted in such a way. Although the way he looked was pretty abstract, she could sense goodness and sincerity in him. The way he was holding her hands - they were not as if Tenten had gripped them to drag her somewhere. It was more as if he was supporting them. He was delicate; He didn't look it, but he was a gentleman like Neji.

"T-Thank you." Sakura gave him a compassionate smile. "Is that why you came over here, Lee-san? To tell me... that."

"Sadly, it is not, Sakura-san." He patted her hands and set them down again. Turning to the other two, he regained his original hyperactive stance. "There's an advanced martial arts club starting in school." He hopped like an overgrown Fangirl.

"NO EFFING WAY." Tenten shouted, and immediately got as pepped up as Lee, even going as far as hugging him whilst they both jumped in excitement.

Neji didn't act in such a way, but did look enthusiastic. "That's good news, Lee."

"That it is, Neji-san." Lee beamed at him. "There are going to be tournaments and everything!! Finally, the martial arts stars of this school will have their time to shine brightest!"

"Yeah! And I'll be able to kick butt and win something for it!"

"Pray you will join us, Sakura-san?" Lee turned back to her, smiling hopefully.

"N-No… I don't do martial arts."

"You should try it! It's most refreshing."

"That's what I'm saying!" Tenten joined in smiling. She leant a limber elbow on Lee's shoulder, hinting heavily at Sakura. "Martial arts is good for you! You can never be to careful."

"Yes, but my family don't get assaulted like that, Tenten. People try to suit them instead!"

"Most disgraceful!"

"Yes, most disgra- I mean… all I'm saying is that I don't think martial arts could beat a bullet."

Tenten yawned. "Apparently you haven't met my friend Lee here." She poked the bow in the arm. "You can kick this guy down, punch his lights out, and, hell, even attack him with a sledgehammer and he still gets up. _Trust me_ on this one."

Sakura narrowed her eyes in skepticism.

"That is all very well, Tenten-san! But, there are limited spots for the first lesson, and I heard Fujimaru Ume-san saying she wanted to sign up so you couldn't! Most disgraceful! I fear that Temari-san can only hold her off for so long!"

Tenten gasped and hopped back with an overdone expression of disbelief on her little face Neji and Sakura stared. It looked like they were performing some sort of dramatic play.

"OVER MY DEAD BODY, SHE DOES. She doesn't even do martial arts! She'll bribe her way in or something!" She yelled, with fire in her eyes. It disappeared as she turned to Sakura though, with a concerned look. "Sakura, will you be okay by yourself? Or do you want to sign up with us?"

"I already said. It's an advanced course, and I don't know any of that stuff." Sakura pointed out. "I'll be fine. Now hurry!"

Tenten didn't have to be told twice. The fire had been lit once more in her brown eyes and for once, she was the one being dragged. Lee had attached himself to the arms of his companions and sped off, almost knocking the two of them off their feet.

Sakura gave a tuneful "Hm," and opened the door to the classroom.

It was still early and Sakura peeped her pink head in to the room. There was only one person in the room; a boy sitting on his desk coolly. Sakura blushed as he looked up at her.

"Sasuke-kun? Good morning!"

Sasuke looked different when he wasn't surrounded by gossiping girls. When they were latched on to his arms matching kissy-faces, he was agitated and stiff, as anyone would be. Right now, when there was no one else around, Sasuke looked relaxed and cool. His hair was windswept instead of messed by the tangle of many hands. He still frowned, of course, but it was not nearly as harsh as it was before. And his eyes... those dark, dark eyes. Sakura saw the same melancholy in them as before, but there was also a yearning now. She couldn't put her finger on it.

He nodded back at her, looking away.

"Thank you for returning my sunglasses to me yesterday, Sasuke-kun."

"Why were you crying?" Sasuke said suddenly, looking at her. The mention of sunglasses must have sparked his memory.

"Huh?" Sakura paused and sat next to him at her own desk. "Oh yeah. I wasn't really crying. I just had something in my eye at the time. It's not important at all. Thank you for asking, though."

"Tell me." He said, looking down at her.

"Its nothing."

"Haruno, tell me."

"I wasn't crying!

"You're a terrible liar."

"I don't care! Stop being stubborn!"

"Look in the mirror."

It doesn't matter, anyway. I'm still not telling you."

"So there is something?"

"Maybe there is, maybe there isn't! Honestly, it's such a silly reason. Its not worth talking about, Sasuke-kun."

"Tell me anyway."

Sakura scowled at his persistence. "I cried because I was happy, okay? There, told you it was stupid."

A moment passed before he spoke again.

"That's not stupid, stupid." He said, plainly. "You shouldn't care what other people think so much. That's what I do."

This was true. If he _had _cared, he wouldn't be so vicious and violent towards the girls who constantly stalked him. God knows why those girls were still trying. It was obvious he wasn't going to give in.

"You're probably right."

"I am right. Anyone who gives in so easily to what other people think is an idiot."

"Am I an idiot, then?"

"Probably." He shrugged, sliding back in to his chair with his feet still on the desk and his hands behind his head. "I'm not sure. I've never seen you do work in a lesson yet. You've only beat people up."

This was also true. She had spent the remainder of the Math lesson yesterday with Naruto, trying to stop him running away from the antiseptic that was to go on his scratched cheek. But saying she beat that girl up was a bit harsh.

"As if you don't hurt your Fangirls." Sakura huffed, triumphantly.

Sasuke only shrugged again and yawned. "You'd do the same if you had 50 girls that follow you around and try to molest you."

"Must be tough." Sakura laughed tunefully, drumming her fingers on her thighs. "Though I don't think 50 _girls _would ever want to follow me around, at any rate. I'm not very-"

"Sasuke-kun!" A flash of blonde on black. Speak of the devil, a girl that didn't Sakura recognize from their class had entered the room and tacked Sasuke so hard that his chair had nearly fell back. He had only just latched himself on the desk behind him in time.

Sakura caught a glimpse of his eye from behind the struggling girl. This calm, natural Sasuke was a thing of the past. Now all she could see was anger and the urge to hurt. Sakura looked away, though, after the girl's skirt had fallen with Sasuke to reveal a pair of heart-covered panties.

"Sasuke-kun, I missed you so much!" She squealed holding on for dear life, grinning like a maniac. "Oh, Sasuke-kun! What were you doing in this classroom? Was that HAG annoying you?" She shot a heartless glare towards Sakura, who was still sitting, bored-faced and legs crosses in her chair. "She's obviously jealous of us. Isn't that pathetic?"

"It looks like you're hurting your lover boy more than you're hurting me." She replied, tartly.

And with that final comment, Sasuke threw the girl off him in a final, almighty heave. She flew to the floor between Sasuke and Sakura, with an expression of utter dumbfound on her face.

"S-Sasuke-kun..." She said innocently, ignoring the death glares he was throwing at her. "What's wrong with you? First you're all alone with... with her! And now this! You know we should be together... why are you always so cold??"

"I don't know it - and I'm cold because I hate you!!" Sasuke snarled loudly. "Leave me alone. If you touch me again, I'll beat you to a pulp!"

She started whimpering loudly. He looked away from them both, towards the window. Sakura could see all his arms were tensed and his muscles were flexing and relaxing. His hands were trembling. Sakura could only thank god that she couldn't see his face. Sasuke was the source of the phrase 'If Looks Can Kill' at this moment.

"Sa... Sasuke-kun's gone mad!" Said a group of girls who had appeared at the door.

"Why don't you just leave Sasuke-kun alone?" Sakura snapped, abruptly. "He obviously doesn't appreciate the company of those who are continually trying to ravage him, so give him his space!"

"It must be her pink hair!" Another said, pointing furiously at Sakura and her curls, completely ignoring what she had just said. "It sends him in to a vicious rage! Get her, Miki!"

And before Sakura or Sasuke could do anything to stop her, the blonde girl and reared up and delivered a punch to Sakura's left cheek. Her neck clicked as it snapped around to her desk.

A moment passed.

All eyes were on Sakura, whose face was screwed up. Her cheeks were blown up in fury. Suddenly, she gagged, spitting out a small mouthful of sticky, crimson blood, which streamed down her desk and on the floor. Wiping up her mouth sourly, she looked up again at Miki's snarling face.

The air in the room turned cold.

* * *

Everyone was silent. Sasuke's expression of anger had disappeared as swiftly as it had come around. Sakura didn't realize this, though. She was in a trance. She was glowering at the blonde girl in such a way, that the temperature around everyone else had seemed to drop. It was like she was trying to make her explode, just by looking at her in such a manner. 

It had started to rain outside.

She was glassy-eyed. She hadn't noticed the blood on the desk that was slowing running down her knees. She hadn't noticed everyone else staring in shock. She hadn't noticed the blood slowly spilling from her lips - from in between her clenched teeth. The girl had backed away a few paces - attaching herself on to her throng of friends who stood by the door.

"Haruno." Sasuke said, snapping out of it. "Hey! Haruno!"

"Sakura??" Shouted an uninvited voice. Sakura awoke and twisted her head suddenly, to see Tenten by the door, her brown face as pale as a ghost. Both Neji and Temari stood by her, eyes wide.

Pushing her way past the hoard of Fangirls, Tenten jumped over the desks and rushed towards her companion - Neji swiftly following. Gripping her by the shoulders, she shook her slowly. She tried to make Sakura look at her.

"Sakura, what happened?"

Sakura could not say anything. Her lips didn't move, not even when Tenten hugged her. Her expression was fierce though. Concentrating hard, on what appeared to be nothing.

_I must not cry_, Sakura told herself, feeling a power boiling up within herself. _If I cry now in front of these, I will never forgive myself_.

Naruto came through the door at that moment, followed by Kiba. They were both still clad in their thick winder coats that were almost identical. Kiba's had a furry collar and hood, though. They were snickering to themselves loudly.

"Hey, you guys, what's - SHIT." The two of them stopped in their paths, their eyes boggling.

_Don't you __DARE__ cry, Sakura._

"Wha' the hell happened??" Kiba yelled at the group around Sakura. No one replied. Tenten could only give them a worried glance. The two of them took a running leap over the continually growing pool of blood on the floor. "Someone tell me now!"

"I don't know!" Tenten said, angrily. "She wont tell me. She won't even talk to me! Oh, Neji, get me some paper towels, will ya?"

"Oi, Sakura." Kiba took over, snapping his fingers repeatedly in her face as Neji ran out the door. She didn't dare to look in his face. She looked away every time he moved his head to where her gaze had been averted.

_If you do, you will even have to punish yourself. You're stronger than this. DON'T._

The girls who were standing there had all disappeared. Even Miki had seemed to have evaporated from their presence. Meanwhile, Naruto had turned to Sasuke, who until then had been sitting there looking helpless - a thing that was very unlike Sasuke indeed.

"Did you have something to do with this, teme?" Naruto slammed his hands on the raven-head's desk. He grabbed Sasuke's collar threateningly. "Did you make Sakura-chan bleed like this?"

Sasuke threw the blonde's hands off, immediately. "No, you dobe!"

"Then who did?"

"..."

"WHAT HAPPENED, UCHIHA?" Tenten roared from next to him, hugging tighter on to Sakura. Neji and Temari had said nothing.

"Leave him alone." Sakura said, in a quiet strangled voice. Everyone turned back to her. She hiccupped and her jaw was clamped shut. She spoke through gritted teeth and with as little words as possible. "It wasn't him. Just -hic- move out of the way."

And she stood up and brushed her long pink hair out of her face. Despite the objections of those around her, she walked straight through the pool of blood, past Neji who had just re-entered, and out of the door in to the empty corridor.

"...Should we follow her?"

"Duh!" Tenten rose up, ready to run over the desks after her, but Temari grabbed her arm held her steady. Tenten turned to where she and Neji were looking, to see Kiba and Naruto arguing loudly with Sasuke. Kiba and Naruto had one hand each grasped on to Sasuke's jacket. Their free hand was clenched in to a fist and hovering near Sasuke's fierce-looking face. He, however, was sat down with his arms folded.

"What happened, Sasuke??"

"We know you know, already!"

"What, is it embarrassing or something? Ooh, Sasuke's SCARED."

"Just stuff your stupid ego for once and TELL."

"Yeah, some things are more important!"

"Well said, man."

"She got punched, okay?" Sasuke shouted, loudly. This day was forcing Sasuke to become more and more 'unSasukelike,' and he didn't agree with it at all. He sat back in his face and scowled. "But it wasn't me. She was... standing up for me. It was my fault in the first place, anyway."

Silence. Neji and Tenten glanced at each other, making sure they had heard correctly. Uchiha Sasuke _never _admitted defeat to anything. Their thoughts of shock were only balanced out by Kiba and Naruto's swelling expressions of disgust. Naruto's eye had begun twitching and Kiba's fang-like jaws were being displayed - both signs of extreme anger.

"What, so you get poor Sakura-chan to fight your battles for you?"

"Afraid of getting your hands dirty, Uchiha, are ya? You and your whole damn family is always preaching honor and justice and crap... Or could it be that maybe the Uchiha family isn't all its cracked up to be!!"

And with that, Sasuke joined the torrent of insults and accusations. Another pair of fists joined the mix. Even this racket, though, could not drown out the thunderous call of the rain against the windows.

"Enough, you three. You're not helping." Temari spoke for the first time since she had entered, folding her arms and stepping forward. Her voice was even more bossy and dominating than it was usually. "That's not important right now. What's important is finding Sakura, so get your act together."

"Right!" Tenten barked. "And if either of you have anything to say about it, I'll pound you in to the next dimension! And now I can just call it 'practice' for the school's martial arts program!"

But she didn't need to pound any of them, because Sakura had re-entered the room. In her hands were two rolls of white toilet paper and a janitor's bucket full of water. Her face was no longer red with dried blood and the dirtied white stockings on her legs had been removed. She set the rolls down before the blood and dropped to her knees. To the surprise of everyone, she bowed her head in remorse.

"I am sorry." She said, plainly, her hands tightening in her lap. "That was very unnecessary and childish of me. I pray that you'll forgive me."

* * *

So, I was originally supposed to focus on Lee-kun's introduction in this chapter... It kind of expanded, though. So here's a long chapter for you 

Thank you especially to **SakuraUchiha14 **and **CherryBlossom016** for being **AWESOME**with their constant reviewing. I WILL return the favour.

Lee is very fun to write! I think I enjoyed that too much for it to be considered healthy... Ahaha, I love all of Team Gai… Although, Kiba is by far my favourite in this chapter. I always imagined Kiba-kun as very similar to Naruto, but he's got more of a brotherly relationship with people. I must say, that if were to become a fangirl for any Naruto character, it would be Kiba-kun, despite the fact he's not on my top five... I should change that.

Sasuke-kun is also fun to write. I love how he calls her 'Haruno...' He's not as cold in this fic, though, because the massacre of the Uchiha thing never happened. He's still an angsty sourpuss, though. And that is why he's my favorite character. BY THE WAY, SASUKE, I LIKE YOUR NEW SHIRT. GO READ CHAPTER 365 AND SEE SASUKE'S NEW SHIRT.

Reviews make the world go round, as well as making me feel more confident to write! Maybe if you told me what kind of stuff you'd like to see, I can incorporate it some time! But nothing like a kiss, mind you... It's far too early in the story for such intimacy.

* * *

**Sneak peak of next chapter:**

**"Ahaha, Kiba-teme has no friends!" Naruto called, still with Hinata clutched in his arms. He was rocking her from left-to-right, laughing loudly.**

**  
"Oi! If you're so happy together, Dickless, then why don't you just marry each other?" Kiba snapped. **

**Naruto nodded. "Okay, then, **_**'Dog-breath.'" **_**Naruto smirked, and spun Hinata out of his grip. Kneeling down in front of her and putting on the most serious face he could possibly make in a situation like this. "Hinata!" He shouted, so that passers-by stared at him. "I want you to have my children! Seven of them! One of them named **_**Dog-Breath**_**. Marry me!"**

**

* * *

**

Ahahah... Another tricky sneak peak... I'm very mean when I do these things.


	6. What Not To Drink

The Fangirls I'm writing are really, really horrible, right? Ahaha... that might be because I'm modeling them off mean people I've met throughout my life. The one who punched Sakura-chan is modeled off a girl that I met at the park when I was eight... I thought we were friends until I went off to buy drinks for us two. I came back and she said "Oh, not **you **again." And she snatched the drink out of my hand and walked away.

I was there with my friend Ryo. Ryo has been my friend for ages and he was with me at that park. Apparently this girl had tried to make a move at him, but he refused. She was using me to get to Ryo... What kind of eight year old does that?? Some fucked up kind of eight-year-old, for sure. But yes, I based 'Miki's' appearance and personality on what I could tell from that girl... is that a bad thing to do?

A bit of random information for you there...

I haven't been writing for my other series "The Friend of My Love is my Enemy" recently. I scribble a few things down in my notepad when I get an idea, but apart from that... I don't feel as inspired as I do for this fic. I don't go with "I need to write this now" moments. It's all about how inspired I feel, for me. I don't work well if I'm pressured in to working... So I guess for now, that fic is 'On Hiatus'

**Disclaimer**: Sadly, I do not own Naruto. I would like to own Kiba-kun, though. I also don't own "Kokoro Capsule" by Mizuki Nana-sama, or a ring tone of it...

* * *

**We Were Made To Be**

**Chapter Five**

**What not to drink**

It had been five hours since that moment at eight o' clock that morning.

* * *

_"I am sorry." She said, plainly, her hands tightening in her lap. "That was very unnecessary and childish of me. I pray that you'll forgive me."_

_"Oh, don't be stupid." Kiba rolled his eyes pounced over to her and heaved her up to her feet. Tenten rushed over, thought about hugging her, but stopped herself for Sakura's best interests. _

_**Aw, the hell with this,**__ she thought, and just did it anyway. Sakura made no attempts to hug back, though. Her arms hung by her sides and a face struck with extreme depression. It was like she was about to cry._

_Naruto left Sasuke's collar alone after almost tearing it in two and bounded over to Sakura as well. "Sakura-chan? Forget that! Are you okay now? You lost a lot of blood!"_

_"Who punched you? What happened?" Temari asked, entering the mix with her hands placed firmly on her hips. "Uchiha wouldn't spill."_

_They all flinched at the word 'Spill.'_

_"...Sorry."_

_  
Sakura said nothing at first. She only took a long piece of toilet paper and proceeded to clean the blood up. Tenten, Naruto and Kiba stopped to help her, all trying to make wise cracks and jokes to cheer her up. But every time she gave a flat-sounded "huh" and returned to work. She had lost about a pint of the nasty red liquid out of her mouth in around ten minutes and the blood had really made a mess. She assured them that the bleeding had stopped, but her swollen cheek was evidence of her injury. She didn't seem to notice it, though. _

_  
It was done, and the blood was gone. She sat in her seat again, trying not to pay attention to the annoyed stares sent her way, but gave up after about 30 seconds. Glancing towards Sasuke to get permission - he nodded in return - she sighed._

_  
"After you went to go sign up for your club thing, I was talking with Sasuke-kun in here. Then a girl and her friends came in, and one of them started to smother Sasuke-kun. He was obviously uncomfortable, so I told her to stop, and she punched me. There's nothing more to it."_

_"Which girl?" Temari fumed. "I'll knock her grimy teeth out!"_

_"You better leave some for me!" Tenten spat, in disgust towards Sakura's story._

_"I'm not telling you!" Sakura said, suddenly with a lot more tune in her voice. "That would be wrong! I don't want you to have to fight my battles. I'm not that kind of person. Please, don't tell them either, Sasuke-kun." She added, pleadingly. Sasuke only nodded. "And Sasuke-kun? I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused for you, today. I promise all of you I'm not usually like this."_

* * *

It was now lunchtime and even though Tenten had made several attempts, she could simply not coax the name out of Sakura. She was determined and her lips were sealed tight.

In the meantime, the school had not caught word of Sakura's little blood spill. She was still receiving greetings for 'attacking' Ume yesterday in Math, and like Temari had, another boy today shook her hand, to Naruto's utter disgust.

"What do you want?" He cried, pointing an accusing finger towards the tall, well-dressed dark haired male. He wore an expensive dark leather overcoat with matching gloves and he resembled Sasuke in many ways; his pale skin, dark hair, dark eyes and overall good looks. Sasuke had a fan club that this boy didn't, though, which was an interesting concept to try and grasp.

These Fangirls were fickle and cared for looks only. Why, then, did this boy, who easily had the looks to qualify, not have girls clinging on to his arms as Sasuke did? This boy, however, had a smile that Sasuke didn't.

But his smile was cold and fake. He smiled with his mouth, but he didn't smile with his eyes.

Sakura saw loneliness in his eyes. She saw a good will and a true heart, but lack of motivation to use it appropriately.

"Calm down, Dickless." He smiled, still shaking Sakura's hand. Puffs of steam from his mouth were visible in the freezing cold. "I only want to thank her for doing what she did to that hag, Ume, despite the fact that she is a hag herself."

Sakura frowned, and let go. "Its a pleasure to meet you, too. Though, I must say, if that fake smile continues, I wont be able to smile at you, either."

He gave an approving "Hmph," and continued, "You are Haruno Sakura, right?"

"Yes... and you?"

"Just call me Sai." He gave another smiled and walked away again. "See you, Dickless." He added, smarmily, before disappearing out of sight.

Naruto gave an almighty roar of exasperation before pouting and folding his arms. Kiba only snickered and nudged him.

"Is Naruto Jr. as small or as non-existent as sourpuss says?"

And the two began a heated argument from there. Temari shook her head in disapproval, muttering about how stupid boys are. Tenten turned to Sakura instead.

"That was Sai." She said, pointing in the direction that the tall boy left in. "He's okay, I guess. He's nice to look at, if you know what I mean, but when it comes to manners, he's worse than Sasuke. _And that's really saying something_."

"You are in no position to say that, Tenten."

"Shut up, Neji."

"He seems... cold." Sakura thought aloud, feeling her hands over where he had touched them. Even his fingers were chilly to the touch. "And he seems lonely too. Does he have many friends?"

"Not really. He hangs around with us, sometimes. And he has a group of little followers in the other class, but he doesn't particularly _like _them." Tenten shrugged, taking out her buns to retie them. Her brown hair fell surprisingly down her back in waves. She redid them, talking with the ribbons in her mouth. "He's an okay guy, on the whole. He's just rude."

Meanwhile, Naruto was groaning again, with Kiba snickering at his pain, slipping on a pair of woolen gloves.

"So Sai's accusations are true, Naruto?"

"Waugh, you all hate me." Naruto wailed, hiding his face in over exaggerated shame.

Sakura and Tenten laughed a little. Neji said nothing. ("It's 'cause he hates the cold." Tenten had whispered to Sakura, beforehand.) Hinata gave a slight giggle and patted Naruto's shoulder timidly.

Naruto grabbed Hinata's mitten-covered hand, and swerved her towards him.

"AT LEAST HINATA-CHAN STILL LOVES ME." Naruto spat angrily at Kiba, frowning in hatred.

_Naruto and Kiba are just like kids,_ Sakura smiled warmly. They acted like they had more mood swings than Temari and Tenten put together, but most of the time it was just a big game for them.

"Hinata-chan is cute and nice, and _she's _my best friend now. Oh yes, bastard." And he huffed, pulling the blushing little Hinata in to a tight embrace, rubbing their cheeks together. Hinata was too stunned to say anything.

"Oh, Naruto, Naruto." Kiba shook his head in mock-denial. "If that is so, then-" Kiba reached towards Sakura and did an inflated impression of Naruto by twirling her around in to some sort of weird dance. "Sakura-_chan_ is my best friend now. Note the suffix."

Sakura only giggled and let him dance her around for a while. Sakura had down a lot of dance classes in her youth, to her utter disgust, and it turned out Kiba wasn't too shabby either. They managed a tango, some sort of made-up jive and finally an extremely speedy waltz before she made him stop. She was still laughing. "You two are idiots."

"See!" Naruto jeered, sticking his tongue out at Kiba, pulling poor Hinata even closer, if that were possible. "Your best friend thinks you're an idiot. My best friend loves me!"

Hinata gaped like a fish, trying to find the words, but they had been locked up and thrown in the ocean at this point. Tenten and Temari sent several "Aw" sounds towards the 'happy couple.' Neji's expression became more stern than usual.

Kiba rolled his eyes and twirled over to Tenten, and attempted to pull her over to him.

"Try again, buster." She laughed, taking her hand back.

"You're no fun..." He said in a singsong voice, moving along to Temari. "...Gotcha." He replied quickly, after seeing the stern look that she gave him. "Ah, Neji." He sneered, an wicked glint in his eye. "You look enough like a girl for this work." He pulled, as hard as he could on Neji's arm, but it wouldn't give. He was planted to the spot. Neji only looked the other way.

"No thank you." He said plainly.

Kiba frowned at the taller boy and looked around for someone else. A pretty blonde girl with striking blue eyes was just walking by when Kiba grabbed her hand and swung himself round to face her.

"Hey, Ino, feel like doing a favour?" He asked, trying to look as mature as possible.

"Get off me, Dog-Breath." Ino said, icily. She slapped his hand, stuck her nose in the air and strode off. Kiba made a face in her direction, flicked his hair and mimicked her walk; delighting in the laughs it got from Sakura, Tenten and Temari.

"Ahaha, Kiba-teme has no friends!" Naruto called, still with Hinata clutched in his arms. He was rocking her from left-to-right, laughing loudly. She had now managed to conjure up a vowel sound after Naruto had grabbed her - a very soft "a-ah..." whisper.

"Oi! If you're so happy together, Dickless, then why don't you just marry each other?" Kiba snapped.

Naruto nodded. "Okay, then, _'Dog-breath.'" _Naruto smirked, and spun Hinata out of his grip. Kneeling down in front of her and putting on the most serious face he could possibly make in a situation like this. It didn't work though. A mischievous sneer was still painted on it. "Hinata!" He shouted, so that passers-by stared at him. "I want you to have my children! Seven of them! One of them named _Dog-Breath_. Marry me!"

"You wont get even _one _kid, _Dickless_. You're missing the _tools_."

"Oh yeah?" Naruto finally let go of Hinata. "And _you're _missing the good looks to get a girl in the first place, _Dog Breath_."

"Tell that to _Sasuke_!"

Hinata resembled a tomato with long, black hair. After Naruto had returned to Kiba (both busting arteries from laughter and supporting themselves on the school walls) she managed a very shaky walk back to the girls and Neji. She almost collapsed on Sakura as she did so.

"You doing okay, Hinata-chan?" Sakura could only smile at the poor girl.

She gave a tiny nod and turn up her scarf to cover her mouth. Sakura could only smile at the two boys. They really were twins, when you thought about it. Both loud-mouthed jokers and overly confident, but could both be sweet when the moment came for it. Sakura could only hope that she had a friend that she could be as close with as they were with eachother. Hinata shook slightly as she gripped on to Sakura's arm in the cold, and Sakura could only contain her 'Aww' chorus for a later time.

* * *

Once again, for the second time in two days, they had been trapped within the dreary prison that was their Math classroom. It was fine for the first 20 minutes - before Kakashi-sensei actually decided to show up - and both Naruto and Kiba snickered at the way Ume had walked straight past Sakura, frowning. None of them had even dared to come near Sasuke for the entire lesson. Sasuke was pleased, but of course he didn't show it. He gave a slight smirk, but it was gone as fast as it had appeared.

But as soon as Kakashi-sensei appeared, the whole world spiraled in to a boring monopoly of percentages and quadratic formulae.

It wasn't because Kakashi himself was boring. On the contrary, having a teacher that went along with their jokes only made Naruto and Kiba feel better about it. Having him as their Home Room teacher only re-enforced this perk.

It's just the fact that they hated Math.

And today they were doing... Trigonometry. Joy to the world.

Sakura sat next to Kiba as had become tradition in math class. Naruto and Sasuke sat opposite them. Naruto was still a bit sour with his dark-eyed friend because of that morning, but he felt he could forgive him because Naruto had a good heart and Sasuke could actually figure out the 'adjacent' and 'opposite' sides of a triangle.

Naruto couldn't even _spell _"Trigonometry," let alone _do _it.

Kiba, like he did in most lessons, wanted to sleep. That way, he'd have more energy for the important things in life. Like eating and teasing Naruto. Tenten told her that when they were younger, Kiba and Naruto used to sneak out of class together and go and eat Ramen and Barbaque at the nearest restaurant in town.

He rested his head on his arms and lay on this desk, with his pencil in his hand. He scribbled the answers the questions aimlessly, and chewed his pencil when he was out of ideas... That poor, poor pencil... Not only was it chewed frequently; it had Kiba's canine teeth to deal with.

Sakura knew that Kiba wasn't dumb. On the contrary, he was very intelligent. He just didn't like writing.

"Sakura." Kakashi said loudly. Sakura stopped chewing her own pencil and turned to the teacher. "Are you paying attention? Yes? Then if you would give us the answer to the equation on the board, I would be grateful."

Sakura ignored the snickering of the Fangirls and turned to the equation. Find the tangent of the blah, blah... Oh, now she knew what Kiba was talking about with the uselessness of trigonometry.

But still she thought, and after a couple of seconds of thinking and multiplication-

"54°, Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi looked at the answer book quickly. "Correct."

Sakura went back to chewing her pencil, but when she looked up to her own textbook, the three boys were staring at her. Even Sasuke a look of disbelief on his face - which could only mean that once again, Kiba and Naruto's jaws were both dropped."...What?"

"54°??" Kiba moaned. "The hell is that? I got almost double that and you did that without a calculator? Come on," He beckoned her to his work. "You're helping me with this."

"Oi, Kiba!" Naruto snapped his fingers, earning him an annoyed look from his jagged-toothed friend. "I'll swap places with you!"

Kiba gave him a sharp grin and picked himself up from his stance laid on the table. Apparently something was interesting enough that he could dedicate some attention to it. "No way." Resting his head on his hand and drumming his fingers on the desk. "And sit next to the Vampire?"

Sasuke scowled.

"As if. I'm not getting bitten. The only reason he doesn't bite you is because of you smell bad."

"Oh, please! You're practically a Vampire anyway! No one will know the difference!" Naruto accused angrily, clasping his hands together and leaning across the table. "Please, Kiba! If I sit with Sakura, I might actually be able to pass this damn class! You're way better at Math than me!"

"You're not copying from me, Naruto, if that's what you mean." Sakura pointed out, hotly. Naruto pretended that he didn't hear and continued to debate over who was worse at Math, until Sasuke finally cracked.

"Why don't you sit _together _and then you'll be able to combine your _half brains _in to a _full one_."

"Ah, but Sasuke-kun, a half multiplied by a half is a quarter."

"Stop that!" Naruto and Kiba snapped.

* * *

"Man, who knew that Sakura was smart?" Naruto groaned, slamming his Math book against his face as they exited the classroom. The end of school had come across once again and Naruto was stretching his arms. As soon as they came out of the classroom, the two of them perked up immediately - Especially Kiba.

When she first met him, Sakura thought that this kid was lazy - the way he drawled and lay on his desk, only opening one eye if people talked to him. He was like an old sleepy dog. But as soon as he was up, he was fast-talking and energetic. Naruto was pretty much the same. Sasuke, however, only looked different and relaxed if shrieking girls didn't surround him. Right now, he was, so he was grumpy.

"...Thank you." Sakura answered flatly at Naruto's comment.

"Don't take it badly." Kiba shrugged, racing Naruto down the stairs as Sasuke and Sakura walked down normally. "It's cuz you're pretty, is all."

This caught Sakura by surprise, all right. All the way down three flights of stairs, she was blushing. She glanced at Sasuke, whose expression hadn't faltered in the least.

"W-What do you mean by that pretty thing?" Sakura asked them when she and Sasuke reached the bottom of the stairs where the other two were waiting for them. "I mean that doesn't really have much to do with anything."

"Well, think about it." Naruto hitched up his bag. "Pretty girls are usually dumb."

"Tenten."

"You'd be surprised at her grades." Kiba pointed out, secretly glad that she wasn't here to punch him in the mouth. "And besides. That chick has no common sense, I swear it."

"Temari."

"Temari's more scary than pretty, so Kiba and myself don't have time to check her out. " Naruto said, probably feeling as relieved as Kiba that Temari wasn't within earshot. "She's alright, you know?"

"You two are such perverts. Hinata."

"Hinata's a Hyuuga and therefore excused from the rule." Kiba rolled his eyes. " Everyone in that family defies all laws of reality. She's even related to Neji. Their fathers are identical twins, for Christ's sake. But Hinata's not as weird as Neji." He stretched his gangly arms and yawned. "How that guy can grow his hair _that _long and still look _relatively _manly is one of the mysteries of the world."

* * *

"Sakura!" Tenten jumped on her back as she did yesterday. Sakura rolled her eyes and brought her in to a piggyback. She was a lot heavier with all the thick clothes that people wore on cold days like the one they were having. "What are you doing this afternoon? Is your mom gonna pick you up again?"

"You got to meet Sakura mom?" Kiba interrupted, leaning against his locker. "When did this little party go on then? And we weren't invited? You know that us two are the life of a party."

"Yup, and you're the death of it even more so."

"Is she hot?" Naruto snickered. Tenten's expression flattened immediately.

"She's pretty, if that's what you mean." She growled, slamming her own locker loudly. It creaked feebly and attempted to swing open, but Tenten mashed it in to place with her fist. "She's too classy for like idiots like you two, though."

Kiba took a swig of his Mountain Dew. "We're offended, Tenten."

"I'll have you know that my family is very classy."

"Naruto, you're adopted. You're probably related to Kiba's dogs in some way, considering everything."

"You're adopted?' Sakura piped up suddenly. She looked at Naruto, scanning his face. "Wow, I never expected that... I'm sorry, that sounded mean. But, you're always so... always so peppy."

He laughed. "Not all orphans act like Sasuke."

"Did you ever..."

Naruto shrugged. "Know my parents? No. Oi, don't look like that." He said, after seeing Sakura's guilty face. "It's not your fault, and besides. You only asked. I'm not insulted or anything. It's best that Sakura-chan knows anyway"

And the conversation slowly span back to the topic of Sakura's mother.

Sakura was however not paying vast amounts of attention to their comment on her own mother. She was now looking at the metal can that Kiba was drinking out of. It was small and green, with red inscriptions.

"Kiba, what's that?" She asked, carrying Tenten out of the door to the front steps. The air was chilly and the day was cold. They had to walk carefully down the steps because of fear of black ice.

He looked at the can, pointing to it, confirming what she was talking about. "It's... soda."

Sakura looked at it. "And you drink it?"

He nodded slowly and unsurely before quickly looking at her. "You've never had soda before??"

Sakura shook her head. Kiba raised an eyebrow in disbelief and took another drink from it. Sakura tilted her head, trying to grasp the concept. If you drink it, then why put it in a metal can? And put that weird... twiddle thing at the top? "No... I'm not sure I've ever even heard of it."

"That's fine, Sakura. "Tenten objected, loudly, shoving the brown haired boy away. "I don't drink the stuff either. It's really bad for you! Water and fruit juices are much better for you when-"

"Yeah, but at least you've tasted it!" Kiba complained, handing Sakura the can. "Try some now, Sakura. It's amazing. It tastes better when its chilled, but this isn't so bad."

"Uh, uh. Let me see that." Tenten snatched the can out of her friend's hand. She squinted at she read the ingredients. "...It's got 46g of sugar! Forty-fucking-six! That's not 'amazing.' That's a health hazard in a can! No wonder you're so screwed up! And I thought it was the dog food or something."

Kiba swiped the can from Tenten's grip and handed it back to Sakura. "Just because my family likes dogs, doesn't mean we eat dog food, thank you. Its like saying that just because you have buns either side of your head, means you only eat hamburgers. And anyway, Sakura can choose for herself!"

"Kiba, you're more like a dog then the dogs themselves." Naruto pointed out jokingly, earning a kick from Kiba. They chased each other around the stairs whilst Sakura was contemplating whether or not she should drink it. She looked nervously at it. She couldn't see in the can to tell the colour of the stuff inside. If it were bright blue or something, she wouldn't say no.

_Tenten said this stuff was really bad for you, but Kiba said that that it tastes good. Wah, why isn't Neji here? He'd have some sort of phrase for this moment... Wait... I shouldn't give in to peer pressure_. Sakura thought.

**This isn't peer pressure! **

_Oh, for the love of god, not you again._

**What?? Not glad to see me?**

_Last time you were here, I broke my leg. Mom wouldn't let me out after that for months._

**It's not my fault you're so clumsy! I'm your conscience, not your instructor! Anyway, that's not the point. The point is you should try the soda! There's nothing wrong with it!**

_I dunno..._

**Why not? They're not forcing to. It's your own choice, after all. And you'll never know until you try!**

Tenten had dismounted from Sakura's back, looking disapprovingly at the can her friend was holding. They were all sitting on the grass outside the school, waiting for Sakura's limo. Sakura looked nervously at it. It smelt weirdly sweet and made a weird noise. Kiba said it was supposed to do that, but she still wasn't sure. She brought the cold metal to her lips and drank...

It was the weirdest thing she had ever tasted. It stung her tongue and made her splutter when she drank it. But, it had an okay taste, she supposed. And Kiba did say that it would be better if it were cold...

"It's... okay."

"HA." Naruto gloated in Tenten's pouting face. She huffed and turned away from them all, arms folded and legs crossed.

"It's... weird."

"Don't worry, its supposed to be." Kiba assured her, patting her shoulder approvingly. "If you drink a whole can, you'll be on the top of your game for the rest of the day."

"Is that why you almost fell asleep in Math?"

Ignoring Tenten's gabbling speech about Sugar Rush and breakdowns, Kiba went on to say. "No. I just don't like Math or sitting down for long periods of time. Do _you _like Math? No. So hush up."

Sakura gave another unsure sip of the can before her phone started ringing - The start to a Mizuki Nana song, Kokoro Capsule, of course. Drawing it out of her many layers of clothes, she flipped it open. _Mom_.

"My mom's calling me." She said plainly.

"You have a phone?" Tenten spat, in desperation. "And you didn't tell me?"

"_We kneeeeew_." Naruto and Kiba sung in chorus, taking out their own phones and showing Tenten Sakura's number in their phonebook. "Even Sasuke-teme has her number. You're late, Tenten. This is what you get for objecting to being in a Math class with us."

"Hi mom?" Sakura said, ignoring their angry babbling. "Yeah, I'm waiting for- what? So what am I gonna do?" The three of them stopped their bickering and looked at Sakura's face. Distress was slowly growing over her. "What? What about Tomoyo? She goes home at lunch now... Okay... But I can't make my own way home." She paused and nodded, and turned to the others. "She wants to speak to you guys."

"Oi." Kiba snatched the phone out of Sakura's hand before Tenten could. "I'll take that."

"Put it on speakerphone!" Naruto cried, leaning in closer.

Kiba pressed a button and the four of them listened in to the harmonious voice that came on the other side.

"Hello?" Her mother said, in a worried tone.

"You're on speakerphone, mom!" Sakura laughed. "You might get taken over a little now, though..."

"Hi Sakura's mom!" The three of them chimed in unison and begun introducing themselves loudly. Sakura could only stifle her laughter at them all and pray that they didn't start a fight.

"Listen, you guys." Her mother said with a much more serious voice. "My stupid husband has given all the house workers the night off and I've been called off for an emergency business meeting. There's no one to pick her up. Aah, I knew I shouldn't have sent her to school."

"Don't say that, Haruno-sama." Naruto shouted, making swipes for the phone. "Sakura-chan is a very good person! We'd miss her a lot if she were to leave now! It wouldn't be the same without her."

"Besides," Kiba put the phone of Naruto's reach, keeping him away with his feet as the blonde boy snarled and struggled. "We can all go to my house if necessary. It's no problem."

"But Kiba-kun." her mother continued. They could hear the sharp clacking of her heels in the background. She was in a brisk walk. "I wont be back until the morning and Sakura's father is out of the country again. And as nice as you sound, my dear, I don't think her Father would be incredibly pleased about her staying the night at a boy's house. I mean, going there, is fine, but not for sleeping, you know?"

Tenten successfully grabbed the phone from Kiba's hand and walked behind Sakura, her hands on her hips. "Sakura can stay over at my house, Haruno-san! The Hyuuga cousins that you met yesterday were going to come over anyway, so we wont be alone while walking there. And these two bozos can come if they want." She added, looking mock-affectionately at the two scowling boys.

"Will you be safe, Tenten-kun?"

"Safe as can be!" Tenten exclaimed, throwing her free arm in the air. "Neji and myself are both martial artists actually... No, you shouldn't worry about bullets either. I knew you'd say that, Haruno-san... yes? If you feel that way, we'll bring Lee with us! ...No, trust me, that kid is unkillable."

* * *

Nothing could outclass the smile that was bore on Sakura's face that moment. In the space of two days, she had come across boys, made friends and gone to regular school. Now, as luck should have it, she was walking arm in arm in with Tenten and Hinata as they and the three boys walked down the sidewalk to Tenten's house for her first sleepover. Sure, her left cheek was sore and swollen and it was as cold as ice outside, but still, nothing could possibly destroy that moment.

When she had been younger, she hadn't laughed much at all. Now, whilst all her friends surrounded her, she was giggling every other minute - mostly due to the childish antics of Naruto and Kiba.

Tenten laughed as well, but Hinata and Neji were silent. It was in Neji's nature to be silent, so this was no surprise. The only time he talked was to tease those shorter than him - in other words, everyone. Sakura was pretty sure that Hinata was still embarrassed at how she had been hugged to the brink of death before by Naruto. After that loud mock-confession of love and proposal of marriage, Hinata couldn't bring herself to look at him. She had shyly requested that she was in the middle of the three of them, both her arms occupied so Naruto couldn't whisk her off in to an embarrassing hug.

Hinata was just one of those people, Sakura thought whilst walking with them all. She was one of those people who were just naturally cute. It was the same for Tenten. She just couldn't stop herself from hugging them - something that Naruto and Kiba took upon themselves to make fun of. Every so often, they hugged a random person and gave a high-pitched 'Kya!' This was something they had picked up on themselves, to Sakura's well-hidden disgust.

"Aww, don't frown, Sakura!"

"Yeah! Come here and give us a cuddle!"

And they hugged. They hugged _someone_, whether it was each other, Sakura, Tenten, Temari (Hug and **run**), Hinata (if they could reach her) or their personal favorites, Sasuke and Neji.

Neji never said anything. He just looked on blankly, obviously uncomfortable, and stood as still as a statue. Sasuke always tried to wriggle out of their grip, which only made the two of them snicker evilly and hug tighter. This was around the point where Sasuke gave Sakura a look that clearly said, "This is all your fault; I hate you."

Sakura dwelt on this. It was a shame that Sasuke hadn't come with them. Even though he didn't talk much, and when he did talk it was monosyllabic, hurtful or just downright bastardly, his presence was somewhat reassuring. Did he go straight home?

"It's a shame Sasuke-kun isn't here." Sakura voiced, suddenly. Kiba and Naruto stopped hugging each other.

Kiba shrugged. Naruto shrugged. Even Neji shrugged.

Tenten managed a sort of spasm of the shoulders and went on to continue by saying, "I dunno. He doesn't like me very much and, quite frankly, vice versa... He wouldn't have wanted to come anyway."

"Sakura-chan, I've known Sasuke for nearly all my life." Naruto said, pointedly. "This kind of stuff isn't his thing. He'd rather be alone. I'm surprised he even comes to school and isn't home-schooled."

"H-He's always so cold..." Hinata whispered. "Its... kinda scary."

Sakura went on. "But he's not that bad, right? I mean, when he's not annoyed, he talks like a normal person. I mean... this morning..." She trailed off a bit as she saw everyone's faces' tense.

Maybe it was still a touchy subject... Even Hinata, who had not been present, seemed to harden... Sakura would interrogate them all later to see who had blabbed.

"Um... Y-yeah..."

* * *

Sakura's voice failed her. She had never seen anything like it her life.

The room was huge – bigger than any of the rooms Sakura had in her house. She was sitting between Kiba and Naruto (Hinata had plucked up the courage to be able to go within a meter of Naruto again) watching it all on the long couch. Sakura sat with eyes as large as saucers.

It had wooden panels for walls and cushioned matting for carpet.

It contained two teens, flipping in the air and striking at each other.

...It was hypnotic.

Sakura had never been so engrossed in something before. Not even the time she had accidentally discovered television, against her parents' wishes.

...Of course, if she did anything against her parents' wishes, it was enough to make her excited.

But that's not the point.

...Then again, they probably wouldn't approve of physical contact in such a way like this either... Sakura's lips curled in a smile. She was going to have much more fun with this if she knew it was forbidden.

The point was that Tenten and Neji were sparring furiously in front of her and she had never felt more alive in her life.

THERE WERE LOUD, SCARY NOISES. Kiba and Naruto were cheering at the top of their lungs.

But for once she didn't care. She was more focused on what the "training" meant undergoing.

Was training supposed to concern trying to tear your opponents head off? Sakura was by no means dumb. She could easily pick up a concept, unless it was one of those stupid canned drinks ideas. Those were unrealistic. They were unfathomable, not to mention ridiculous. She could understand canned meat... but canned drinks?

This, again, wasn't the point.

Just watching Neji look so sure and so steadfast, delivering quick moves and thrusts towards Tenten... Seeing her flip elegantly through the air and land like an Olympic gymnast. She landed and dashed like a cat back to Neji, delivering a throttle of swift kicks. He caught every one. Still, she through punches at his face angrily.

Sakura gasped as both her fists were clasped within Neji's. She was trapped!

But Tenten smirked and using him as a wall, she ran up him, twisting her arms out of his grasp. This wasn't just like the swiping actions that she gave when she was angry. This...

This was beauty. _This was art in motion._

This was like the time she had come across the wonder that was Mizuki Nana for the first time.

No... It was _better... _She inwardly slapped herself at this act of heresy. Mizuki Nana was godly.

But even so, it was as if she had been wasting her life until now.

"Oi, Tenten!" A strong sound roared suddenly. Sakura, having been thrown of her rhythm, swung around angrily to see who was approaching. Temari had entered through the main doors, accompanied by none other than Lee, and two boys Sakura didn't know.

One was a stoic redhead that reminded Sakura rather irritatingly of Ume Fujimaru. His face was different to hers, though. His face was framed with maturity. His eyes were darkly lined, but of a brilliant emerald, like hers. A pair of sunglasses rested in his mess of hair.

The other was much less brilliant to the sight. He had spiky, mouse-brown hair brought in to a tight ponytail. His small, dark eyes read nothing but lack of motivation and a thirst for a sunny day.

Temari looked just as forceful as she had that morning. "Sorry we let ourselves in here. Tenten." She pulled two of her four ponytails apart more. "The maid opened the door for us, and I was impatient."

The brown haired boy next to her shoved his hands in his pockets, murmuring to himself. Sakura thought she heard the world "Troublesome" being used more than once by his slouching figure. Temari gave him a vigorous elbow to the ribs, frowning slightly.

Tenten was currently reeling back from Neji when she called out, "That's okay, Temari." With that, she went back to evading away Neji's accurate and prompt jabs to her chest.

Catching sight of her head of rose hair, Temari went straight up to Sakura with a broad welcoming smile on her face. "Hey, Pink. Doin' okay, now?"

"Sakura-san!" Lee voiced, loudly. "May I sit with you?"

"I'm just peachy, Temari! And yes, you may, Lee." She smiled in reply, not taking her eyes off the sparring. She shuffled keenly to the edge of her seat when Neji engaged Tenten by catching her by the arm and rolling her over his back, charging onwards to meet her again.

The blonde uttered a small laugh. "You like it? The fighting, I mean? Oh, Sakura, look, this is one of my brothers."

Sakura afforded to turn away briefly as the red head stood behind her. She bowled around in her seat to kneel and shake his hand.

"Gaara."

"I'm Haruno Sakura. Its nice to meet you, Gaara-san."

She observed. Gaara and Temari looked very little alike, in her opinion. They were both quite short, yes, but Temari was more stocky. This boy was thin and gangly, but it might have been the fact that he was wearing clothes that looked 2 sizes too big for him.

"And THIS," Temari heaved, dragging along the lazy looking boy over to him. The boy only rolled his eyes and allowed himself to be tugged, "Is the laziest bastard you will ever meet."

Sakura looked unsurely down at Kiba, who wasn't paying attention.

"No, I'm serious. He's worse than Kiba."

"Aah." He moaned, taking his hand back from Temari. "This is so troublesome... why did we come here again?"

Temari could only grimace, as Sakura raised a firm, cherry-coloured eyebrow. "His name is Shikamaru."

The two of them only nodded at each other. Being as polite of possible, she smiled at them all and spun round to be seated on the bench again, next to Kiba.

The fight went on considerably, until Neji finally delivered a roundhouse-kick to Tenten's legs and knocked her off balance. Towering over her, like a giant, he said only one simple word.

"Game."

And with that, he helped her up, congratulating her politely. Sakura brought a petite finger to her mouth, stifling her soft laughter. He was even a gentleman whilst in such a heated fight? Well, Neji would be Neji, after all.

Game? _Game_?? Had it just been a game? Was that not a for-real fight?

* * *

"It was incredible, Tenten. You were SO right." Sakura gabbled on as Tenten threw spare pajamas at her to borrow. She snatched them one by one out of the air and threw them back if they were too small, still gushing on, happily. Tenten caught them, without even turning around to see them. "I should get in to that... but you've probably been doing it all your life, right? It'll probably take me years to get it right."

"It'd take you a little while," Tenten hummed.

Sakura frowned and sighed a little. She wanted to do it NOW.

"Don't make a face, Sakura." Tenten flitted back, pushing her over to the closet where she was to change. "It takes practice. Grueling training."

Sakura only frowned more and puffed out her cheeks.

Tenten only rolled her eyes.

* * *

Sleepovers, much like canned soda, were weird.

For one, you didn't actually sleep. Sakura and Tenten were up to 2am in the morning watching movies, eating candy and talking about silly things like boys and people at school.

It made NO sense. Yet, Sakura enjoyed it. She had found a love for something new - Musicals. They were through about half of _Hairspray_ when Sakura had this realisation. She couldn't wait to brag to her mother about how cultured she had become.

"Yeah." Tenten mused through a mouth full of marshmallows.

She and Sakura were lying opposite each other on Tenten's huge bed. Sakura had never had marshmallows before, but they were her new favorite food. She couldn't get enough of the squishy little pieces of heaven.

"Sasuke might be the cutest, but he's not the most attractive overall."

Sakura shrugged, grabbing another handful. "He was kind of nice before those Fangirls came in to the room. Well, nice probably isn't the word..."

"Well, I don't like cold guys like Uchiha. I like guys who are fun and kinder."

"What, like Naruto and Kiba?"

She gave a fake laugh before glaring at her smiling friend. "There is a difference between fun and mentally impaired, my friend."

* * *

Back at school the next day, Sakura was feeling tired. She had gotten little sleep at Tenten's last night, and she and Tenten shared a bed. Despite the fact that Tenten's bed was bigger than her own, Sakura couldn't sleep.

And to her complete and utter repulsion, Tenten was just as perky as usual.

Sakura was a surprisingly light sleeper. Tenten wiggled a lot in her sleep. Even the slightest touch, and Sakura was up again.

She made no effort to cover her yawn as she sat at her desk. Like Kiba, she was slumped on her desk. Watching them both come in, go straight to their desks and collapse was quite a head-turner. Even Sasuke made a comment."

"Tired?"

"Mmn..."

"You should get more sleep."

Sakura could only frown at him and gingerly try to pick herself up.

But that was in the past and Sakura couldn't be bothered to dwell on those friends. She was tired and alone. The school was so huge that it was almost obnoxiously so. She had History class, but all her friends were elsewhere. She was now walking towards the western grounds where Tenten had directed her before abducting Neji and Hinata and running off elsewhere.

She groaned and rubbed the back of her neck.

"Hey, doll-face."

Sakura screwed up her face and shook her head. Now her mind was playing tricks on her.

"Oi, are you listening?"

A pebble hit the back of Sakura's head. She grabbed the spot where it hit in pain and keeled round to see her attacker.

A tall man with black hair was walking up to her. He held a cigarette between two gloved fingers and tossed another pebble in the other hand. He was gifted with a handsome face and an attractive smile, but his eyes contained nothing of the niceness that the rest of him had. _Malice_, thought Sakura as he approached her. Sakura was quite short, so this man dwarfed her. So much, in fact, that he had to stoop to get face to face.

Sakura squinted. He was in his late twenties. Definitely not a student.

"What?" She turned to him. "Are you a teacher or something?"

He chortled. His voice was gruff and raspy and his voice reeked of smoke. He took another puff of his cigarette. "Yeah. I'm a teacher, all right. Ah! You're a lot cuter than I thought! How lovely - big green eyes and everything." He combed his bangs out of his eyes. Up close, Sakura could see a heavy coat of grease over his hair.

He reached out to ruffle Sakura's long, pink locks, but she smacked his hand away. Her expression darkened.

"You're not a teacher. How'd you get in here?" She barked, backing away.

"Oh, it's no trick to get in to these grounds, honey. An idiot could do it."

"Well, that explains a lot."

He laughed again. "Feisty, huh? That's okay, doll. I like 'em fiery."

"Yeah?" Sakura frowned, walking away, with her hands clenched in her pockets. "Well, I sure don't like you."

She got about three paces away from the man before grabbed her hand and swung her around. It was like what Kiba had been doing the day before, but this was not for laughs or for fun. Sakura tried to shake her hand free, but with no such luck. He was smirking darkly and forcing her in to a corner. Her eye twitched.

* * *

Ahh, Sakura-chan!! What will happen to you?? (Ahaha, for me to know, for you to find out)

I really **love **Naruto and Kiba-kun in this chapter... They're so fun to write out! Especially the last bit about the hugging... I can just imagine Naruto-kun saying "Give us a cuddle!"

They really are just like little kids - like annoying older brothers ... always having fun and playing around with people... Ahaha, but poor Hinata-chan! Aww, I think the NaruHina hint was too much for her... ;-;

Mountain Dew is a guilty pleasure of mine. I'm not allowed to drink it any more because of my braces... and you can't buy the stuff in England!! You've must know where to really go if you want to find it... Aha, I sound like some sort of gangster XD There's only one store that sells it in the entire city of mine!

Ugh... _TRIGONOMETRY_. For god's sake, I hate the stuff. I can't wait until I can drop math. It's my worst subject... I'm going to tell my teacher where she can show those Venn Diagrams of hers... I'm 14 now, and I can drop it when I'm 16... Gah.

Review, please! Just tell me what you think about it all! Oh, and it might take me a little while to get the next chapter up. I want to write a little more before I submit.


	7. Who Not To Assault

Okay, okay! I have a MASTER PLAN.

Not really a plan as such, but its a little contest thing.

**When this story gets -gasp- THIRTY REVIEWS! -spins in circles- The lucky 30th reviewer will get a oneshot fanfic from myself containing the Naruto couple of your choice! I will go on to details at the end of this fic!**

Anyway. ON TO CHAPTER SIX!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. No duh.

* * *

**We Were Made To Be**

**Chapter Six**

**Who not to assault**

Sweat began to form on Sakura's brow. Her back was scraping against the wall as she tried her best to free herself. She even resorted to biting his knuckles, before finally being pinned against the wall.

She tried to escape right, she tried to escape left, but she couldn't free herself. He only laughed cruelly at her.

"You're so innocent." He cackled quietly, pinching her chin in to place. "Don't you find me attractive? Any other girl would be slobbering over me."

_  
NO. NO. NO._

**Hit him! HIT HIM!! Grind his pimp-skull in to powder! Punch him so hard he'll forget his own name!!** The voice inside her head screamed, drumming her angry fists against Sakura's brain.

Sakura could feel her body becoming numb with anger. Her head was rumbling as his voice came closer to hers. She could see the crinkles in his eyes.

It was not going to be like this. It was not! Her body was burning up because of it. She clenched her free hand in to a ball and with a sudden surge-

**WHAM**.

Sakura stood and stared. The man had flown. He had flown. He was now sitting in a heap in the ground. He was sitting in a heap 50 feet from the place he had stood just seconds ago - dust rising up. He crawled up, glowering at her. He was holding himself quite delicately, before slowly picking himself up and fleeing in the opposite direction.

Sakura was not watching. She was trembling from head to foot, gaping at her hands. Sliding her back down the wall, she said, holding herself. Her eyes were wide open and shaking. She could feel the burn of the tears against her cheeks.

"D-Did I..."

* * *

She ran through the door, not bothering to knock, to see a bemused looking woman in front of her. She was in the middle of applying vermilion lipstick when she had been interrupted by a rather flustered looking rose-headed girl.

"Tsunade-sama!" She cried, flinging herself to the woman's desk, panting heavily.

Tsunade tilted her blonde head and put away the makeup. She eyed the girl up and down. Her hair was in a whirl around her head and she appeared to be on the verge of collapse. "Sakura, you're supposed to be-"

"Tsunade-sama, there's a strange man in the school grounds! I-I was... walking to my history class and I saw him skulking about when I came to the West courtyard! I shouted at him, he ran towards the south gardens!"

The blonde's expression immediately stiffened. She signaled for Sakura to take a seat in one of the big, squishy chairs that stood opposite her.

She plunked herself down and gripped the front of the desk nervously. Sakura talked and talked, explaining her situation in it all, and lying slightly as she did so. Even though she had been the victim of attempted assault and most probably rape if it had gone any further, the last thing she needed was her mother finding out. As much as she liked Tsunade, she didn't entirely trust her.

Tsunade asked Sakura to describe

"He was tall, and dark-haired with pale skin. He was quite handsome too, and wore dark clothes."

"...Uchiha?"

"N-no!! No, it wasn't Sasuke-kun!" She shouted, exasperatedly.

"...Sai?"

"No! He didn't go to this school. At first I thought he was a teacher, but... He was much o-older than a student, Tsunade-Sama. And had blue eyes, not black. Oh his eyes... They were wicked eyes."

She laced her fingers and rested her elbows on her desk, staring blankly through a grimace of stern concentration. Biting her lip, she spun around in her chair to face the wall. As she did this, Sakura caught a glimpse of the window behind her and saw something.

"Tsunade-sama, look!" She bolted to her feet and darted to the window. "Look, he's there! And there's more of them!"

Tsunade rushed out of her chair to the window where her student was already hopping up and down, pointing to three men running along the terrace below them. Sakura could see her attacker being supported by another one. He was still gripping his ribs where Sakura had struck him. Traveling 20 feet and landing on hard ground generally isn't good for you, after all.

Tsunade snarled and went for the phone, punched in some numbers and waited.

"...Asuma!" She barked angrily down the phone, not waiting for a reply. "There are unidentified three men heading in your direction. One of them just confronted the young Haruno. She's here with me and excused from her lessons. Get the students inside, and make sure that no one tries to confront them! That goes DOUBLE for Tenten and Lee, got it??"

Sakura smiled a little, despite the seriousness of the situation. That would be so like the two of them.

Tsunade placed a hand on Sakura's shoulder. She looked up with doe-eyes to meet her principal's smiling face. "Calm down, Sakura."

Sakura looked down at herself to see that she was still trembling. The woman marshaled her in to the next room - a lounge full of expensive looking furniture. Tsunade set her down in one of the cream coloured armchairs, before seating herself in the one opposite. A teapot and a set of cups were on the coffee table in front of them.

"These guys are _nothing_. We had a whole gang try and infiltrate the school a few years ago." She poured a cup of sweet-smelling hot chocolate. Sakura had heard of this type of meetings from her mother, but she had never mentioned anything about hot chocolate. Tsunade looked completely at ease at the idea though. "That was before I was principal, though. Ever heard of Orochimaru?"

Sakura leant forward in her school. "The leader of the S.O.U.N.D? Who doesn't know him? He gave my daddy quite a scare once. That's why I had to go traveling with Mother for a month... I thought he was dead."

"Oh no, they just say that to shut the media up. No, he's alive, and he and his entire organization attacked the school in an attempt to abduct the Uchiha's legacy."

Sakura swallowed her drink too fast and spluttered. "S-Sasuke-kun?"

Tsunade crossed her legs and nodded.

"What would they want with Sasuke-kun?"

She shrugged. "Probably to put a ransom on his head. The Uchiha's are one of the richest families in the world, of course. And not to mention that his parents would have given him their entire fortune to get him back. No, despite Uchiha-kun's detestable attitude, the family is extremely close. Even that unbearably-charming brother of his."

Tsunade gave a chuckle and sipped her drink again.

_Sasuke-kun has a brother?_ Sakura pondered. In her head, she pictured two Sasuke's. _Two Sasuke's_. Double the chill... Double the Fangirls, most likely. Twins? No, he must be older...

"So, anyway." Tsunade continued, critically scanning her fingernails. "Orochimaru attacked the school. It was a struggle, of course. Because, see, Orochimaru has a thing for the Regi."

Sakura looked up again. "Homo Regi?"

"Of course. He thinks they're wonderful, what, with their super strength and speed and what not. They're godly to him. He convinced them that they'd be accepted in the S.O.U.N.D. He's got a whole community of them all. They almost brought the school to rubble. But they got everyone out of the way, alright. But..." Her expression softened in a mournful sigh.

"Tsunade-sama?" Sakura patted her hand, gently.

"My old teacher... Sarutobi-sensei... Orochimaru shot him when he refused to give the students' location."

Sakura felt her body go cold. Tsunade remained silent, and Sakura looked away to give her space. Her eyes caught something. Leaning forward to see past the bookcase that hid it, she saw a large portrait on the wall. A man was smiling serenely. He was old and his hairline had somewhat deteriorated. He looked kind. Sakura couldn't help but smile and wish that she could have met him.

"Anyway." Tsunade spoke up again, pouring more drink for herself. "Eventually they had to bring in the armed forces to get the S.O.U.N.D away from the school. It was tough to get the Regi down, but it was done eventually. They were just grateful that Orochimaru didn't have any pure-blooded Regi."

"Pure-blooded?" Sakura asked, setting down her teacup. "Forgive me, Tsunade-sama, because until a few days ago, I was clueless toward the Regi. My friends told me about them."

"Oh?" She leaned forward. "And what do you think of them, Sakura?"

_"That's terrible!" Sakura spoke up, angrily, ignoring the looks that the others gave her. "I'm sorry if this insults anyone, or whatever, it shouldn't... but how can you create a person, just to banish them to a life of slavery?"_

Sakura paused for a minute, before answering.

"I think they're misunderstood."

She nodded. "I think that is very wise of you, Sakura. Anyway, the more pure the blood, the more powerful they are. They're not as pure as the originals, of course. Those who are only part Regi only realize that they are Regi in their late-twenties. The purer ones get it in their teens."

"So... they're might be Regi in this school that haven't realized it yet?"

"Oh, definitely." Tsunade flicked her wrist in an ensuring manner. "The Regi population is huge. I'm not sure whether we have any pures or not, but when their blood comes to boil, it'll become obvious."

Sakura checked her watch. It was about forty minutes since she had rushed in to her principal's room. It had been an hour since that man had confronted her. She wondered if they had been caught yet. They could get in, obviously, but would they be able to get out again?

Sakura yawned slightly. "Tsunade-sama? Is it possible that Orochimaru was after Sasuke-kun because he thought that Sasuke-kun was a Pure Regi?"

Tsunade paused. "Sasuke-kun nor any of his relations I have met are Regi, no matter how 'fantastic' his family and he may appear."

"But you can't be sure, right? They're-"

"Undetectable?" She sat up in her seat again, running her hands through her long flaxen hair. "It's not true. It's very simple to tell a Regi and a regular human apart, even if the person hasn't realized it themselves."

Sakura sat for a moment, hands clasped in her lap. This was something she could do. She'd always been good with figures and logic, and this was just a puzzle when broken down. Her head was a mind map - her thoughts were pieces of string. She said, tying up the ends until she came to a final conclusion.

"...You have to be a Regi to find another Regi."

Tsunade smiled broadly and uncrossed her legs. "You are very intelligent, Sakura. Most people doing work on Regi go through their whole lives without noticing this."

Sakura shook her head in disbelief. If that was true, then she other deduction was _sure _to be true as well. There was no other way around it.

"That would mean, Tsunade-sama, according to my deduction, that would mean you are-"

Tsunade laughed, lightly. "A Regi? Yes. I am. Quite a good one, too." She confessed, casually and took another sip of hot chocolate. "Well done, Sakura-kun. You are one of the few that know."

"It wasn't so hard." Sakura shrugged. "You were practically shouting it after saying none of the Uchiha you have _met _are Regi, and that you were positive that there were Regi in the school. You ought to be more subtle, Tsunade-sama. I will keep your secret, but others might not."

"Your analytical skills are great, Sakura." She curled a strand of hair with her long, painted fingernails.

Sakura nodded at her request and combed her hair with her fingers. The meeting with that stupid man had disheveled it. It was in wonderful ringlets when she left the classroom after registration... Now it looked about ready to attack small children.

"Am I the first to deduce it?"

The blonde woman shook her head. "No, of course not. My Sarutobi-sensei knew. A few of the teachers worked it out. Kakashi and Asuma certainly did. Kurenai realized it after a while... Why," She smiled warmly whilst stirring some sugar in to her drink. "Even your mother, the day that you arrived in school, worked it out."

Sakura smiled and drained the last of her cup. "My mother is rather smart; it's like her to figure out something like that... Do you have to have realized you're a Regi to be able to sense other Regi?"

"No." Tsunade hummed, picking up the teacup again. "But after you have realized it, it becomes a lot easier. Do you have many more questions, Sakura-kun?"

Yes. Yes. Sakura was filled to burst with them. After going a lifetime without knowing something that seemed to be common knowledge, even to children, Sakura was determined to know more than anyone else about them. It was in her nature.

But Sakura didn't show this. She gave a decisive nod. "So, how many Regi are there in the school?"

"There's at least one in every class. In one of the classes there are seven."

"As a percentage, how many in the school?"

"7"

" It's really that high?" Sakura muttered, clutching her knees. "When my friends talked about them, they made it seem like they were an endangered species."

"Although it is a somewhat daunting concept, a lot of the carriers have extremely small amounts of Regi blood. A lot of them have such thin blood, that they will never realize it. They wont have daunting powers that those with thicker blood have. Only about 2 have a level of Regi worth mentioning. The rest will probably live their lives not knowing."

The two of them continued their discussion for about an hour after that. Sakura was so full of questions and Tsunade seemed only pleased to be able to answer them. Sakura didn't take particular notice of this though. She could only make note of her principal's ability to dodge particular questions and for her to only notice minutes later.

After the bell had rung for the end of school, Sakura had assured Tsunade's trust. She was positive that this girl wasn't going to spread the secret of it. Leading her student back in to the main office she gave her a word of dismissal, before finally letting her go.

"Bye-bye, Tsunade-sama! See you later, okay?" She bowed before skipping off breezily. She was halfway down the stairs before making a zipping gesture across her mouth and winking cheekily.

* * *

It was perfect.

Her mother was picking her up that afternoon personally. After her 'little girl' had been forced to sleep at a friends house the previous day, she felt it her duty to pick her up especially. Kiba and Naruto were looking forward to meeting her. Sakura couldn't help but feel a bit afraid.

Tomoyo had already gone home, and soon she wasn't going to go to school at all. Although Sakura was eternally grateful, she couldn't help being pleased that she would be able to school without constant supervision.

She wouldn't be able to tell her mother of school news! And more importantly, she wouldn't be able to tell her mother that three suspicious men broke in to the school. She definitely wouldn't be able to tell her parents that one of them assaulted her.

And her swollen cheek had gone down! The evidence of her insignificant skirmish would be forever gone.

Everything was going Sakura's way.

"Sa-Sa-Sa-Sa-Sakura-chan!"

"Naruto." Sakura smiled at the trio of boys walking towards her. It appeared that Naruto and Kiba had dragged Sasuke along too. He didn't look pleased, but at least there were no shrieking girls.

They sat on the grassy mound next to the sidewalk, waiting for Sakura's limo. Naruto and Kiba were talking at light speed about what they were gonna say and how they were going to make her guess who was who. Sasuke said nothing, and attempted to walk away before realizing that if he came 10 metres away from Sakura, he would be tackled.

Muttering under his breath, he came back but did not look at them.

"So, what about that alert deal, huh? Suspicious men in the school and what not?"

"You didn't come to History." Sasuke said, suddenly, no change in tone. She looked at him in surprise and racked her brains quickly for a decent sounding lie.

"Y-You're in my History class, Sasuke-kun?"

"Don't change the subject."

"Um," Sakura rubbed the back of her head, embarrassed. She could still feel the bump that arose when that man had thrown the pebble at her. "Yeah. I got lost... this school is so big, it should be illegal."

"You still suck at lying, Haruno."

"You really do, Sakura-chan."

Sakura could only puff out her cheeks in defeat stick her tongue out at them both and warn them all not to tell her mother of any of it or she'd probably be withdrawn from regular school and be locked within her Parent's mansion again.

They all nodded silently.

Sakura checked her watch for the forth time. She already knew they were early and that her mom was going to be late. It was natural. It was like looking in her refrigerator every five minutes, knowing already that there's nothing in there that she'd like to eat.

Speaking of which, she was hungry. She hadn't had a big lunch, and the fear from the assault before had left her hungry. Being scared and then blasting your attacker across the courtyard does a number on your stomach.

She frowned as her belly growled.

This was no normal growl. This was a monster from within, screaming for its meal. It was so loud that even Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Naruto and Kiba started snickering and teasing her.

"Hungry, eh Sakura?"

"Yeah, Sakura. Which one of us would you want to eat most?"

Sakura pouted, gave Kiba a quick smack round the head and looked the other way - mostly to hide her blushing. "You're too gross."

But they didn't stop. They shook her about and tried to make her talk or laugh be. She shut her eyes tight and hummed loudly.

"That's not fair, Sakura." Kiba sneered.

"Yeah, Sakura-chan." She heard Naruto's voice whine. She buried her head in her arms and -

"EEE-HEEEE-HEEEEEE-" She thrashed around madly as the three of them stared. As her giggling faded, her face went pale but her cheeks were bright red. She cringed and wiggled away from them.

Two large grins grew and Kiba's and Naruto's faces. They had now uncovered one of the many secrets of Haruno Sakura.

She was extremely ticklish.

The next five minutes spelt absolute torture for one Uchiha Sasuke. Not only had he been surrounded by squealing girls all the way through his History lesson - with no one he actually semi-liked to help him, although he would never admit he needed help - but after he exited this lesson, he was seized by two idiots who he was embarrassed to call his friends, dragged at top speed to their lockers and finally out to the front of the school to meet the mother of a girl he hardly knew.

And to top it all off, this mother was late and he now had to suffer through Haruno Sakura's high-pitched laughter.

It wasn't normal laughter, either. It was laughter in a pitch so high that if it raised any more, only dogs would be able to hear it.

To make matters worse, the two idiots seemed to be immune to the noise. Brilliant.

"Would you leave her alone? Why did you even drag me here anyway?" He asked snappily, after undergoing a minute of it all. "Its not as if I want to meet Haruno's mom." The two of them stopped for a second and looked at each other, giving Sakura time to breathe. Smiles grew on their faces again. Naruto's ears went red.

_Oh shi-, _Sasuke thought. Whenever they smiled like that, you knew something bad was going to follow.

"What's wrong, Teme-chan?" Naruto hopped to one side of the now frowning dark-haired-boy. "Don't like the noise? Is it TOO LOUD FOR YOU??" He roared in one ear. Sasuke's expression didn't change. "Or, is it," He raised his voice several octaves, "TOO HIGH?"

Kiba crossed his legs and sneered. "Naruto-baka, it's none of that stuff. Its simply because we're living his dream."

"Eh?" Naruto and Sakura said at once.

"Yeah. Oi, Naruto. Remember our 'Sasuke is a pervert' theory?"

Sasuke's lower eyelid twitched.

"…No. We have so many Sasuke theories, it's hard to keep count. Like the 'Sasuke is a Vampire' theory, the 'Sasuke has Menstruation' theory…"

Naruto sat there for about a minute, counting off theories with his fingers as Sasuke's eyelid had a little spasm with every one. Kiba and Naruto knew well that when this happened, Sasuke was getting ticked.

"Well, my companion." Kiba started, raising his voice slightly and closing one eye. "Beneath Sasuke's supposedly 'cool' and 'collected' exterior, you have the true Sasuke. The INNER Sasuke."

"Ah…" Naruto nodded, edging closer. "A hidden side of Sasuke, huh?"

They sandwiched Sasuke between the two of them, squishing him between their shoulders as they leaned in closer.

Kiba dug his elbow in to Sasuke's ribs. Sasuke flinched a bit. "Sasuke might not delight in the hags that usually follow him around, but every so often he feels the need to pray on that certain girl who pops up every so often."

"Ah, I understand. The rare pretty girl, right?"

"Correct." Kiba flicked up a finger in a very 'as-a-matter-of-fact' manner. "And of course, it is common knowledge that Sasuke-ecchi has a fetish for clueless innocent types, like Sakura-chan."

_Twitch. _

Sakura's expression deflated angrily.

"Ah, the good Ol' Sasuke fetish theory? But innocent types? I thought Sasuke went for bondage and S&M..."

_Twitch._

"That comes in to it later. Anyway. until now he's been deprived because there have been obstacles between him and the pretty girls. Temari's so fucking scary that no boy goes within an arm's length of her and if you even look at Tenten or Hinata, Neji'll bite you."

"Oh... I see! So now poor Sakura-chan is his new target because as well as being pretty, she's innocent! Ahaha!" Naruto glared at Sasuke, poking his head. "Fiendish bastard, what's wrong with you?"

Twitch.

"So now that you have cute, innocent, smart Sakura-chan, she's defenseless right? Oh god! He's probably got a thing for Sailor Uniform's going too! With his family's power, he could easily give the school uniforms!"

"Correct!" That's why we, as her friends, must protect her from this monstrosity!"

And as quick as a flash, they were now latched on to Sakura.

"If we hold on to her, there's no way he can get to her."

"Please don't." Sakura whined from in between them.

They ignored this and continued to fire abuse at the Uchiha.

"Careful, Kiba. If we don't watch out, there's no doubt that Sasuke will try to cop a feel."

"Sakura?"

Sakura glanced upwards (quite a challenge when you were clamped between two boys) and felt her insides go cold.

"E-Er.."

Her mother was standing on the sidewalk beside her, staring at her daughter who was caught between two boys. Two boys who were barking angrily at a boy who looked like he'd rather be in the fiery pits of hell than where he was then.

And to Sakura's absolute horror, a handsome man stood by her mother's side. He combed his fair hair out his eyes and looked angrily at her. If looks could kill... well, Sakura was just glad that they couldn't.

Kiba and Naruto - still clinging to Sakura's arms - were now watching the man as well. Kiba sniffed.

"Sakura, who's the stiff?" He whispered.

"...Daddy!" She said loudly. The two of them immediately let her go and shuffled back towards Sasuke. "What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be in a big meeting in America. Boston, was it?"

But he didn't look amused. Her mother could only smile at her nervously.

Sakura was moving back towards the others as inconspicuously as she could. Although her father's death glares were nothing like that of her mother's, it still packed a punch. Sakura could feel herself shrinking.

He inhaled deeply for what seemed like a lifetime, and then began to speak in his most casual voice. It still had a shake. "I set off for the airport. I get stuck in traffic for two hours, and wait. I find out that my flight had been cancelled and I'd have to wait until tomorrow. I get stuck in traffic _again _as I'm coming home, only to have my wife drag me here to show support for my daughter - who is being cradled,"

His voice was raised. Her mother was massaging her temple.

"In between these... these hooligans! And what's more, you have pretty-boy over there-" He pointed angrily at Sasuke, who looked as if Sakura's father was the biggest idiot on the face of the earth. Sakura couldn't disagree more. "Who, according to these two, wants to... to 'cop a feel!!'"

_Thanks, Naruto. Thanks, Kiba. You picked a prime time. Thanks, Sasuke, for being there and being supportive. Just... thanks._

The world was over.

Everyone was staring. Nosey mothers were listening in whilst pretending to herd their offspring away. Sakura always knew her father had the ability to start the biggest scenes known to man. Good for him. He'd done it again!

Woo-fucking-hoo.

"Dad, it's not-"

"Don't talk to me, just listen up!" He boomed, threatening her with his index finger.

**Now, that's just rude. **The voice in her head drawled. **Hit him for me, 'kay?**

_I can't just hit him!_

**You hit that other guy a little while ago.**

_Yeah, but he was trying to molest me, for God's sake! This guy is my father. My stupid, stupid father._

"I'm the one who convinced your mother to take you with her for a month of traveling. I'm the one who's supposed to be the 'fun parent.' I'm the one who pays for you to go to school here and, so help me, I can take you out of it just as fast."

NO, NO, NO, NONONONONONO. Sakura had worked too hard to get here. She had friends here. She wasn't going to let her grumpy PMS-ing father take it away from her, no matter how angry he was.

"Dad, let me-"

"I'm not going to let you do anything. What, are you so much of a... of a..." He tried to force the words out of his mouth, but they were stuck in there. "Mizu, I told you we shouldn't have sent her to a mixed school. I _told _you."

Sakura's mother flicked her hair behind her. "You're making a mountain out of a molehill, Ryo. They were _hugging _her. It's not as if they were having sexual intercourse, or something."

The three boys coughed simultaneously. Her father glared at them all - book-marking their faces. Sakura hid her face in her hands. Her life was over. Thank God none of Sasuke's Fangirls were around.

"They were talking about that boy... 'copping a feel!'"

"Oh, Ryo, that boy is an Uchiha - I think he has a little more decency then to do that." Her mother snapped. Sasuke nodded, earning himself two elbows to the ribs.

As they argued, Sakura could feel her face burning.

**Well, this is embarrassing.**

_  
Shut up and go away._

**I'm your conscience. I ain't going anywhere, sister.**

_Well, just be quiet._

**You're going to have to intervene at some point**.

_No. I'm not going to. I don't have to do anything_.

"You two," Sakura's mother, called to Naruto and Kiba. They looked up to her in confusion. "You're Naruto-kun and Kiba-kun, right. Err, from on the phone yesterday. Right?"

The hesitated then nodded. Maybe coming here to meet Sakura's mother wasn't their greatest plan ever.

"See? Ryo, stop babying her. You know she hates that. Look, I've talked to these boys, they're total jokers. They were probably just teasing Uchiha-kun."

"Exactly!" Sakura groaned, suddenly. Ignoring her father's glowering, she got to her feet. "Dad, these are my friends. They wouldn't ever do anything like that to me. Honestly. And Sasuke-kun - I'm not sure if he even likes me at all. He sure isn't going to try and 'cop a feel.'"

**Yeah! Now tell him where to shove it!**

**  
**_Shut up._

"Dad, if you actually considered for even a second that I might be the kind of person to do something like what you were thinking," She hesitated, looking at her mother nervously. She nodded her pink hair and gave a halfhearted smile. That was enough for Sakura. "Then you obviously don't know your own daughter very well at all. I'm not a child any more - I'm sixteen. Look. Kiba-kun-" She pointed to him, turning back to her father. "He was the first boy my age I ever met."

Her father rolled his eyes and folded his arms. He sighed. "Look, Sakura. You're not an adult, so you shouldn't pretend to be one."

**KILL HIM!! KILL HIM!!**

But Sakura did not kill her father. She didn't even send him flying across the street - even though she knew that if she was this angry, she probably could. No, she glared at him once and walked back the mound where her jacket was. She didn't look at Sasuke or Naruto or Kiba. She feared that if she did, she'd start to cry. There was no way in hell that she'd burst in to tears in front of those boys.

And she ran.

* * *

Right! 30th reviewer Kiriban!

**The 30th reviewer of this fic gets a either a BONUS! Chapter for this story of their choice with whichever couple they want! I will write about anything, seriously. But first, I need to go through some things.**

**1. I can write Yaoi/BL but I warn you. Since I'm not a Yaoi fan myself, I can't say that I'll be on the top of my game. That goes DOUBLE for SasuNaru. Being against it, it'll be tricky for me to attempt it.**

**2. Same goes for Yuri/GL.**

**3. I don't write Hentai/Mature fics. I'm only fourteen. I'm too scared to write lemons **

**4. Any couple is fine - be it crack or canon.**

**5. They MUST be Naruto couples, or no deal.  
**

**I shall notify the winner via message. If you don't answer it within 7 days, I shall simply move on to reviewer no. 31.**

_**UchihaSakura14**_**, you already got a Bonus Chapter for being awesome, so if you get the 30th, I'll have to move on to the next review.**

Whether or not you're trying to get the Kiriban, I'd really appreciate it if you read my story. And I know people are reading it, because of all the hits I'm getting XD But hardly any reviews, sadly. If you can, please do.

* * *

Ahaha! Sorry for cutting the assault short before... I know a lot of you were expecting Sasuke-kun to jump in and save her, weren't you? No, Sakura-chan can DELIVER, ya dig?!

I'll shut up.

I had a lot of trouble writing this chapter... That's why it's so short. Since the last chapter was so long, I think you can deal with a short chapter for once, right? But I wonder what will happen to our Sakura-chan...

Review please


	8. What Not To Do In A Downpour

I don't really have much to say about this, apart will be the last chapter for a while. I'm going to Florida for a couple of weeks on the 17th, so if any of you Americans feel a disturbance in the force, then that's me getting off the plane.

Chapter Seven here! Sakura runs from her parents...

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto or the song 'Secret Ambition' by Mizuki Nana, which is Sakura's ringtone.

* * *

**We Were Made To Be**

**Chapter Seven**

**What not to do in a downpour**

_And she ran. _

She ran, despite the fact that her parents ran after her. She ran, knowing that she would get lost and that finding her way back was going to be impossible. Sakura ran because of the boiling feeling in her chest. She didn't know what it was, but it was slowly overtaking her. Stress. Fury. The fear of losing her friends.

Running wasn't to help anything. Running wasn't going to convince her father to let her stay with her friends. If anything, running would cause her father to take her out of school completely.

Why wasn't she listening to the voice in her head? Why was she only concerned with this emotion in her chest?

She could hear Naruto and Kiba calling her name behind her as well, but she didn't stop. In a car mirror, she could see her parents, gradually slowing and being overtook by the three boys. Even Sasuke was running.

But she wouldn't stop. She ran down the street as fast as she could, clutching her bag and biting her lip. Turning a swift left, she sprinted down a street lined with stores and restaurants. It was crowded with people. Perfect. Reaching in to her bag, she pulled out her hat to hide her vivid pink hair, which would no doubt give her away. She could already hear Naruto's voice calling, "Anyone seen a girl about this high? She's got pink hair."

The further she ran, the darker the streets got. There were no boutiques full of fancy and elegant kimonos and yutakas. There were no sweet-smelling cafés. There was only the garbage, tiny looking houses that looked like that had been pushed together... and hundreds of hungry eyes staring at her.

She had stopped running and was now more concerned with looking as casual as possible amongst all the ragged and gloomy looking bystanders. She was clad in a denim skirt with leggings that matched her hair. She stood out like a sore thumb against the dirty tertiary colors that everyone else seemed to wear. Even though she knew that her pursuers were long gone, she didn't take off her hat. She didn't want them to look at her. Look at her with such... coldness. It was worse than being glared out by Sasuke.

"Oi, pinky, got any cash?"

She didn't even grace him with an answer. She walked onwards.

Sakura could feel the beggar glaring at her in the way that everyone else did. The way they looked at her was unbearable. It was like she had no soul. It was like _they _had no souls.

She clasped her bag even closer to her. She'd seen too many movies where the lone girl gets mugged, and there were too many people and not enough streetlights. When she got back, she would convince Sasuke to get his family to install more, if they were as powerful as Naruto described.

Although, Naruto does tend to-

_"MUNE NI YADORU ATSUKI SUISEI WA-"_

She jumped in the air, concealing a squeak of surprise as loud music sounded about her. Everyone watched her in bewilderment. Evidently cringing with irritation, she peered inside her bag where her phone was vibrating and playing Mizuki Nana very noisily. Without taking it out, she flipped it open and peered inside.

Dad was calling her. Her eyes flashed and in her anger, she clicked the 'ignore' button and continued along the dreary looking pathway. He's the last person she wanted to talk to.

Even though the street she walked was dreary, it was lit up. There were stores and shops open - all lit up with neon lights and glittering light bulbs. If she was here with her friends, she might have enjoyed herself. But as she took a closer look at the buildings, all of them had either half-naked women or aggressive looking men inside.

What kind of neighborhood have I gotten myself in to? I'm going to get shot. I know it.

To make things worse it started to rain. It was light at first, but soon it started to pour down in buckets. The thunderous boom of water on pavement was something new to Sakura - but she didn't like it. It ricocheted around her and made her feel vulnerable.

All she had on her arms was her jacket. It was jean, but it wasn't warm. On her feet were only flimsy slipper type shoes. She wasn't just getting wet. She was getting soaked to the bone. Damn her clothes. Weren't they in the slightest bit waterproof?

Feeling like a drowned rat, she huffed. There was no way around it. She had to go in to a shop for a little while. She slowed to a halt between two buildings, looking at the signs. Through frozen eyes, she compared them.

One of them was brightly coloured, but was full of women showing a bit more than was really necessary. They were all sipping some sort of cocktail and gabbling away. The other was dark and dreary. Grunting men sat on the seats, which looked that they had been chewed up. It smelt heavily of smoke. Everyone inside looked heavily depressed.

And to top it all off, it was nearing the end of January and the sun was beginning to set. She cursed the winter and its fast approaching nighttimes. They were _exactly _what she needed... ha.

As it became colder, Sakura made the decision in her head. Slutty women or violent men. Slutty women or violent men.

...Slutty women it is!

Sakura swallowed and faltered for a moment, before she began her walk in to the building. The rat that had just scuttled across the road a few meters away from her had certainly sped up her decision.

"Just until the rain eases up." She told herself, pushing open the frosted glass door.

* * *

As soon as she stepped foot inside, she was hit by the smell of about twenty different perfumes. It was absolutely pungent. It was so strong that it made her eyes water. There was loud music playing by an artist that Sakura didn't know. To be frank, she hated it. At least it was blocked out the chattering girls. _Look on the bright side_, Haruno. Sakura told herself as she hung her head and tried to attract as little attention as possible - although her flamboyant hair colour made this impossible. _At least it's warm_.

All the women were in their twenties, Sakura guessed. They all seemed to know each other, because they as soon as one of them talked about something, they all suddenly seemed to know. A whisper rebounded the room, and they all pointed at her, giggling. Sakura could feel her face redden as she automatically took the most out-of-the-way seat in the bar. The seat up near the counter furthest to the right.

The landlord was a young male who looked too pleased for Sakura's liking. There was a man sitting back that resembled him a lot. The older man was counting money, humming to himself. The landlord was fairly attractive. He had nice eyes, Sakura thought. They were sparkly and full of energy, if not a bit baleful.

"What'll it be, sugar?" He said in a voice that matched his expression.

Sakura studied the menu above their heads. The menu was almost all alcoholic, but Sakura shyly ordered a cherry milkshake with cream before he started to convince her to have a spirit. She could see this plan formulating in his eyes.

"_MUNE NI YADO_-"

Before Mizuki Nana could get in another word, Sakura gave a small growl and physically assailed her phone. It wasn't her Father like she expected. It was Kiba. She was tempted to answer it, but her better judgment was against it. Her father might have attacked Kiba and used his phone. Putting the phone away again, she rested her elbows on the counter.

She was starting to regret running - even more so when a hand grasped her shoulder.

Sakura followed the hand to the face of a pretty woman with a face painted with makeup. She had short, dark hair and a side parting. Sakura could see only sin in her dark eyes.

"Heya, sweetie." She smiled, hopping on to the seat next to Sakura. "You okay?"

Sakura looked away from her, back to the counter. Twiddling her fingers nervously and wishing that she had gone in to the bar with the violent men (they might not have tried to converse with her).

"What's wrong? Never seen a hooker before?"

As a matter of fact, no. She had never even heard of one, but she had enough brain to work out what they were. This didn't help Sakura at all. She gave a shaky answer and tried not to make eye- contact. "Y-Yeah. I'm good, thanks. W-what about you?"

"I'm just peachy, love."

And to Sakura's shock, she took Sakura's hand and led her to a table full of other women. She wanted to take her hand back, but couldn't bring herself to do it. She didn't want to be touched by a prostitute, (She forced herself not to imagine where that hand had been. The mere idea of it made her gag) let alone sit with a table of them. But Sakura allowed herself to be taken to this table. She knew they weren't going to hurt her, so there was no harm in it.

"Its okay guys." The woman called to them. "She's not weird."

Sakura's expression was punctured. Were they all gossiping about her? As she took a quick look about the store, she could see that most eyes were focused on her. Most of these women were giggling at her and waving gleefully. Flushing, she directed her attention downwards. She wished she hadn't though - the floor was disgusting and sticky.

One of them shuffled up a bit and patted the seat eagerly. "Sit here, honey!"

Sakura reluctantly did what she was told and sat down. She was now looking in to seven smiling faces. Sakura had never felt more uncomfortable in her life - and that was really saying something.

"Say, cutie," The woman next to her nudged her. "What's your name?"

Oh god.

"Sakura...ko... Sakurako." She said plainly, giving a small laugh. "Sakurako... Izawa. Yes, Izawa Sakurako."

She thought it best to not reveal that she was the daughter of a millionaire and the Heiress to a fortune. No, that was to be kept on the down low, if possible. And hell, Sakura was going to **make **it possible.

Lying was never part of Sakura's character, but right now, it was necessary.

"Sakurako!" One of them cooed, taking a long drink of her cocktail. "That's a nice name. Suits, you, honey."

"Saku-chan!" One of them said, in such a way that it shocked her. She thought it might have been Naruto. But no, thankfully, it was a peppy looking girl with long brown hair. "I'm Sayu-chan!" And she leaned over the table to shake Sakura's hands. Sakura was forced to look away as she did so. As she leaned, she was practically popping out of her bra. How old was she, anyway? She didn't look a day out of high school.

"What's a cute, young fox like you doing all the way out here?" Said the woman who had brought her there. She had now perched herself on one of the other women's lap, sucking a lollipop.

Sakura racked her brains. "I... I'm waiting for my boyfrie- yes! My boyfriend! Yes, I am waiting for my boyfriend." She said it a little too fast for her own liking, but none of the ladies seemed to notice.

"Ooh, Saku-chan has a boyfriend!" Sayu leaned forward again. Sakura's reflexes got the better of her and she automatically looked away again. Why didn't this girl just buy bigger clothes? What was she, a D? Wearing size 4 clothes? Sakura was a six herself, and she was positive that she was thinner than this girl... "What's his name?"

"Er... His name? Oh! You mean my _boyfriend's _name! Sorry, I wasn't listening..."

_Oh crap. Erm_.

**Err, Kiba! Naruto? Sasuke-kun!**

_No! What if they know them? _

**They're ****prostitutes****! Do you think Kiba and Naruto get down with a bunch of hookers every Friday - let alone **_**Sasuke-kun**_

_Those names are too uncommon. Come on. His name is 'Steamed Squid.' Steamed octopus! Do __you__ know anyone called octopus? No. And they're bound to know Sasuke-kun! Everyone knows the Uchiha family._

"Sai." Sakura yipped. It was the shortest name she could think of at that moment. She knew of a few people called Sai. She should be sage. "My boyfriend's name is Sai. ...Hatake Sai?"

She hesitated again, inwardly slapping herself. She was practically plucking names out of the air now. Hatake Sai? Was her Inner voice trying to tell her something here? Eww.

"Ooh! Sai, huh?"

"Is he hot?"

"I bet he's cute, just like Saku-chan!"

For the next five minutes she sat there uncomfortably. She was amongst a throng of women much older than her, speculating and gossiping about her 'boyfriend.' _God_, prostitutes could talk.

Sakura learnt that even after you come out of your teenager years, you were still allowed to act like a teenager. All these women looked as if they had just left college. They acted like Sakura's age, though. They were immature and unpleasantly reminded Sakura of Naruto and Kiba.

Sakura's milkshake came, after a few minutes, along with a towel. Why they had a towel, Sakura didn't want to know. The landlord was perhaps a little too _friendly _for Sakura's taste on delivering her drink and receiving the money, and this made her suspicious. It didn't help that it was being served in a place that was obviously full of prostitutes.

_Had he drugged it? Why was he so happy? Why am I thinking about this so much?_

But... it tasted okay. It was actually quite nice - and she sucked it up through the straw as all of the women told her about just about everything about themselves, all getting more and more drunk. Even Sayu, who couldn't have been any older than Sakura herself, was giggling and hiccupping furiously by the end of it. Only the older women, including the one who had brought Sakura there in the first place, had any sort of resistance to alcohol. They drank and drank but didn't seem to get even the slightest bit tipsy.

"I could always beat my ex-husband at drinking competitions." One of them informed Sakura.

Sakura checked the clock on the call. Six o'clock. Three hours had passed since she had started to run, and it was getting very dark outside. The rain still hadn't let up.

Sakura finished her milkshake and ordered another one to keep her mind off the drunken woman who sat beside. Not only had she got her arm around her, but also Sakura could have sworn she had tried to grope her. That was some mental scarring that she really didn't need. Sayu, who now looked dead because she had drunk so much, has plunked herself next to Sakura - hugging the pink haired girl and squealing loudly.

"Don't mind her." The first woman said, downing another glass. "She's emotionally unstable."

"Fu... _Fuck _off... Aiwa..." Sayu slurred, leaning in closer to Sakura. Eww. Her overlarge breasts were rubbing against Sakura's arm. She inwardly cringed. She didn't like this - not one bit.

Sakura was trapped.

And she felt like a lesbian she-pimp.

This was most definitely not a happy place.

And things got worse as the Landlord decided to come and talk to them. Sakura didn't want to know about him at all ever since he had delivered her the cherry milkshake. Yet, in the first five minute that he had arrived, Sakura had learnt more than she ever wanted to know about _any _boy. His name, his birthday, his _measurements_.

Not even Naruto was _that _gross. Although something that was _that _gross was the sight of him and another girl from a different table making out right in front of them. Sakura didn't need this. _Sakurako_ didn't need this. No wonder that guy looked so pleased when she had ordered. He probably gets this every day, the disgusting, untruthful, lying, little-

"_MUNE NI YADORU-"_

"For the love of-" Sakura cursed, whipping out her phone. Unknown number? The hell? Sakura clicked a few buttons to get to the message that had been left on her phone. Aiwa watched her in curiosity as the angry little girl put the phone to he ear. Her angry glare deflated as she listened to the message that was left on her voicemail.

"_Sakura, it's Temari."_ She heard the girl's deep majestic voice. This voice was not cool and demanding, though. This voice was ridden with a croak. Like she had been shouting loudly for a long time. In the background she could hear the rain hitting an umbrella. _"Sakura, I don't know where you are, but everyone's looking for you. Even the Uchiha-teme."_

_"Is that Sakura??"_ Tenten's voice chipped in.

_"No, it's her answer phone." _

_"Gimme!" _Tenten's voice was the same as Temari's it sounded scared. "_Sakura? Sakura, where are you? This rain is making me seriously scared... you're not hurt are you?? __Please__ answer your phone or call me back, please! Everyone has theirs on! Even Sasuke! He's looking for you too! This is so bad, Sakura, you've gotta come back! As soon as Naruto called us, we all got looking. Me, Temari, Neji, Lee and the other boys are looking for you! Your dad went to the airport already, but he said-"_

But Sakura deleted the message, closed her phone and returned it to her bag. She said nothing, but her eyes were full of agony and anger.

**Get of there!**

_No!_

**There is **_**prostitute boob **_**rubbing against your **_**arm**_

_Do you THINK I'm enjoying it anymore than you are??_

**Wait... No. Outer-me, no. I refuse to let you cry. Cry, and I'll disown you. I am not lying.**

**  
**_Oh, just be quiet! I'm not going to cry!_

**Yeah, yeah... You know, you've gotta go back some time.**

"I can't go back!" Sakura snapped out loud, bringing her hands down on to the table. The tower of glasses that Aiwa had been building met the ground with an almighty crash. The women around her only looked at her, but looked too nervous or too drunk to say anything of use.

Aiwa looked at her fallen castle on the floor, and back at 'Sakurako.' The poor girl looked as if she was fighting to force in many tears. She had good feelings about this girl, despite her out of place innocence. She reached over and patted the girl's hand softly. "Hey..." She started lightly. "If you need a place to stay, you can always come with the girls and me... We've got plenty of room for you. Not a permanent thing... Until you get back on your-"

"Thanks," Sakura cut her off, giving her one of her best smiles - even if it was a fake. Somehow, sharing space with a bunch of prostitutes wasn't Sakura's idea of heaven - no matter how kind the gesture might have been. "But I'll be okay. It'll all work out somehow. I couldn't stay with you anyway. I'm not like you..." Sakura worded her sentences carefully, trying her best not to insult - even if it was the harsh truth. "Don't worry about me."

"Isn't your boyfriend supposed to be picking you up?"

Ah, yeah. Her lie. Sakura didn't know what these women were going to think when it came later and her 'boyfriend' never showed up. Sakura racked her brains trying to think of a solution, but nothing revealed itself to her. She wondered if she was actually going to have to find a place with these women. But then again, she couldn't be _Sakurako Izawa _forever.

"...Is your boyfriend _really _picking you up, Sakurako?"

"Yes!" Sakura said, a little too quickly again. "I mean, of course! Why wouldn't he be? He hasn't called me or anything to say he isn't... He's probably just running a little late, that's all."

Aiwa didn't look to believe her. She might have been a hooker, and a particularly slutty one at that, but she was the smartest of the group. But she didn't dwell on it and doused her suspicious in another glass of vodka.

Another hour passed and Sakura's eyes were glued to the clock. Hours were passing. It was most definitely nighttime now, and as the time passed, more and more people came in to the bar. Fraudulent looking men had entered with looks on their faces that were equal to that of the Landlord.

As soon as they entered, Sakura learnt that she had been unfortunately correct about the definition of a 'hooker.' It wasn't some sort of obscene fishing term like she had hoped it was.

So now she had to look at the clock. She had nothing better to look at, lest she be sucked in to the black hole that was Sayu and the Landlord's kissing - or the men with disgusting smiling faces.

The more sober of the women around her were still engaged in conversation and firing questions at Sakura. She could only nod or shake her had - that or answer with an "Aah," or a "Hn."

She was beginning to sound like Sasuke. Damn it, she didn't want to be thinking about him right now. Not him, not Tenten, not Naruto, not _anyone_.

**It's getting late.**

_I know_.

**Soon it'll be to dark to do anything.**

_I know._

**They're all out looking for you in this rain. Tenten sounded as if she was in **_**tears**_

_I know._

**You know, you're parents might not be angry if you go back now.**

_Hah, fat chance. They're going to kill me. I'll have to move in with Aita and become a hooker, and I'll never see Tenten or Naruto or Sasuke-kun ever again. This sucks, why did I do this?? This is my entire fault._

She slumped on the table. It was only Seven-Thirty, but Sakura just wanted to sleep. Her eyelids kept drooping shut, but she had to fight the seduction that was sleep. To fall asleep here would probably equal instant rape from that overly horny landlord. That was not going to happen. Frowning, she opened her eyes up wide. Nothing would break her concentration. Nothi-

"Ah, so it was you, doll face."

Shattered. The concentration had been smashed in to a million pieces, and they were all hurtling towards Sakura's heart. With every piercing stab, the sour realization overcame her.

Sakura froze. Her guts had turned cold. She didn't dare to look up. It was all in her head. It was all in her head. God, PLEASE let it be in her head. No, even better - let it all be a dream. A sad, pathetic excuse for a dream. She wasn't in some shady, dubious bar miles away from home. She wasn't surrounded by sinful women, soaking wet. She was at home, in her bet. Tomoyo was just coming to wake her up now.

But God didn't hear her pleading.

With fire in her eyes, she raised her head to meet his. There was a clash of emerald on sapphire. There was just as much darkness and immorality - maybe even more. Sakura could not think of a person that she disliked more than this man. Why. _Why had she run?? _That driving feeling that forced her onwards before had simply whittled away.

He was dry, unlike Sakura. That wet expression that made Sakura want to hurl had not disappeared from his face. He looked so confident. Maybe Sakura's punch had caused him to lose his memory of traveling 20 feet in the air.

"You again?? God, twice in one day? Have some decency!"

He completely ignored her. "I didn't believe it at first." He told her, bending down and leaning on the table. Sakura's best glares hardly fazed him. "I just couldn't... What's a pampered little princess like you doing all the way out here? Why are you in a rough neighborhood like this?"

Sakura gritted her teeth and hardened her glare.

"Oooh..." Sayu broke from her embrace with the landlord and gave the tall man an intoxicated grin, winking flintily. "Are -hic- you Saku-chan's boyfriend, then? Wow... I was right... -hic- you are cute..."

The thought of it made Sakura's stomach lurch. She shook with anger after seeing him smile. As chuckled at the drunken girl's words, it gave Sakura the ferocious desire to knock the teeth out of his pretty face.

"Yeah, that's it," He smirked. "I'm her boyfriend."

"I wouldn't go out with you if you were the last man on earth!" Sakura shouted, slamming her fists down on the table and making yet another group of glasses crash to the ground. The rest of the bar went silent. "You filthy, dissolute, fictitious-"

"No need for the big words, doll face." He drawled.

And as he listened to Sakura's abuse, he took a swig of a glass of cocktail that had previously been in Aita's hand. She didn't look pleased. She could only raise her eyebrow at him, and say, casually, "He's not her boyfriend. This 'Hatake Sai' isn't this man." She informed the rest of the woman. This earned the man several cautious looks from the rest of the women. Aita turned back the man, and told him firmly " She obviously doesn't want to see you, so go away. You're bothering us. You have no business here."

He only looked at Aita and took her pretty chin between his finger and them. She only watched him from the corner of her eye and took another sip of vodka.

"Remove yourself from my sight." She said coldly.

"You're pretty attentive." He gave a mock-assuring nod. "For a hooker, that is. You're Aita, right? Chiru Aita?"

The woman brushed his hand of her face stingily before combing her fringe out of her dark eyes and setting down her glass. "It's common courtesy to introduce yourself before asking the name of others." She looked up at him, fiercely. "It is one thing to grab the face of a woman you don't know, but it is another thing to forget your manners. I expected more from a famous man like you,"

Famous? Glancing at the other people's faces, it was obvious that

She finished her glass and placed it on the table. "Shinomori Takao."

Sakura didn't know the name, but apparently the rest of the women did - as well as everyone else in the bar. The woman next to her dropped the glass she was holding. Even the sober ones perked up and shuffled as far away from him as possible. A wide grin appeared on his face as the other people in the bar started to exit in fear. Sakura noticed that one of his teeth were missing... Had she done that when she punched him?

Who was this 'Takao' person? And why was everyone so afraid of him.

"Ahaha." He said, slipping off his gloves and dragging up a chair. "I haven't gone by that name in a few years. Most people just know me as Shi."

Aita sniffed as he sat with them. She pursed her lips and told him, frankly, "Only the scared submit to such names. I wouldn't give a lowly, repulsive slug like you the satisfaction."

Sakura watched in awe as the man gave a hearty laugh. This woman was one of those people who could not be deciphered at first glance. She wasn't just beautiful. She was strong, fearless and earnest.

He clicked his fingers at the Landlord who had been cowering behind the bar. He didn't look so happy any more. "You. Get us some drinks."

* * *

It was now ten o' clock and Sakura was sitting with her assaulter, Aita, Sayu and a couple of the more courageous of Aita's girls. The others had fled out of the bar at the mention of this man's name. They were not talking. They were only drinking various liquors. Aita was, surprisingly, still sober.

And yet, Sakura still didn't know what was going on. The voice in her head had been silenced along with herself. Deciding that there was nothing to lose, she put forward her question.

"Why is everyone afraid of you?" She asked, not looking at him.

Aita said nothing at first, but as she poured herself another glass of wine, she yawned. "He's a gangster. He deals with many types of crime - varying from fraud to murder. He's on the most wanted list in all of Japan, and his name is even known to international sources."

Sakura ran through this in her head. "So you're a thug. How fitting."

He gave his same irritating chortle and simply tossed his empty glass over his head on the floor. The landlord and his father flinched and continued to crouch behind the bar.

In one week, Haruno Sakura had gone to school, met boys, made both friends and enemies and become a target of a national criminal who struck fear in to the hearts of everyone who heard his name.

Running from her parents was so not worth this.

"As feisty as always," he hummed, getting up and kicking his chair across the room. "Okay, doll face. It's time for us to be going."

But Sakura didn't budge. Her arms remained folded and her legs remained crossed. She could only glower at him and wish he'd die on the spot. Glancing to the clock, she spied the time. Ten-thirty. Everyone else must have gone home by now.

Finally, Sakura moved, but only to critically inspect her nails. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

But nothing could prepare Sakura for what was about to happen next. One second she was inspecting her green nail polish. The next, she was staring down the endless barrel of a gun.

She made a chocking noise that made him laugh at her. She wanted to kick him through the wall, but even if that tremendous strength did show itself, she doubted she could do anything against a gun.

Aita's friends had moved closer together. Sayu had let out a gasp of horror. However, Aita herself had not changed her expression. She merely sipped her wine and made a "Hmph" noised.

"How crude." She said, simply.

Sakura could feel the sweat drip down her forehead, but still didn't move.

He tilted his head, widening his eyes. "Oh? Still not going to come? Fine then."

Sakura thought her life was over, but no. She was saved, but at a great expense. The thug had moved the revolver to that of Aita.

Sayu let out an almighty scream hid her face. The two other women stood up.

"Miss Aita!!" One of them bellowed.

She sighed. "Calm yourself, Mei."

Sakura was amazed. She said nothing. She didn't even look at him. She poured herself more wine. She drank it. Sakura had always thought her own mother to be the strongest woman she knew. Tenten, Temari, they too were brave. But this woman beat them in a landslide. How could such a young woman not even flinch? Not even when the cold metal of a gun was against her temple? Sakura swallowed. It was inspiring.

After a full minute of crushing silence, Aita finally rolled her eyes and said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Killing me won't do anything. You'd just be wasting your bullets." She looked at him, finally. "You wouldn't kill me. You're too much of a coward."

**BANG.**

Sakura couldn't breath. Her mind went blank and her heart went cold. Her inner voice remained as cold and lifeless as the body that lay before her.

Leaving her final words of "You... You bastard..." she fell to the table, smashing the glasses under her weight. Sayu had fainted. Aita stared at her fallen comrade.

The corpse of Mei lay on the table. The blood started to leak through the whole in her heart. Sakura managed to avert her eyes to Aita. Her face was full of fear and as white as a sheet. An expression that Sakura never expected to see on this woman's face.

_He had killed her_. Sakura couldn't think anything else but this. _He killed her, and its all my fault_._ I could have gone with him the first time, but I didn't. If I had, she'd still be alive. Why did I come here? Why did I run?_

"Coming, Doll face?"

"Okay." Sakura said, standing up.

"No."

"I have to."

"Sakurako." Aita said finally, but Sakura didn't listen. The man only sniggered and returned his gun to its place in his coat pocket.

"Smart move." He grabbed her shoulder and roughly shoved her in front of him and told her to walk. She obeyed, fire in her fists. She pushed open the door and let herself out.

* * *

The rain had still not let up. In fact, it was even more deafening than before. But Sakura could not hear it. Sakura could only hear the bloodcurdling last words of that woman echo in her head. It was killing her.

Outside the bar, the two men that Sakura had seen earlier that day joined them. They looked at her and scoffed.

"Is this it?" One of them said. He had a head of brush-like ginger hair. He laughed and poked Sakura's arm. "This is the girl that hit you? She's a midget! She's got no muscle on her at all! She's, what? 16? Five-foot-tall? Are you sure-"

But he was told to stop by the third man, who was watching Shinomori's growing expression of displeasure. He paused as he kicked Sakura round the corner in to a dark alleyway. Sakura gagged under the repugnant stench of garbage that overthrew her nostrils. At the end of the alleyway was a grubby looking brick wall - a dead end.

This was it. Sakura bit her lip. She was going to die here. She was going to be raped. She was going to be shot. She would never see her parents or her friends again, all because she was an idiot. A stupid, immature idiot. Her mother had always told her 'There's no point in having brains if you don't know how to use them' and Sakura had most definitely not used her head.

They reached the end of the passage, and Sakura still could not cry. The rain hit her face, and the only light she could see was the glow of the eerie streetlights at the end of the lane.

The light of the end of the tunnel... Sakura gave a cold chuckle. How fitting.

She was spun around to face Shinomori and his thugs. She looked in to his cold face. The rain blinded her and obscured her view, but she knew he was smiling. She could feel it pierce her.

"You caused me a lot of trouble, beautiful." He took out a cigarette popped it in to his mouth. He lifted his coat and shirt to reveal a medley of bandages tied around his middle. Sakura smiled. "You completely destroyed three of my ribs."

Sakura looked up to him with big green eyes. She said nothing, but she looked away. He lit his cigarette in the rain and puffed on it for a moment of two, before walking closer to him. She instinctively walked back, her heart pounding. She tripped, and fell back against the well, and before she could push herself up again, she was pinned against the wall. His arms were blocking her exits, but Sakura didn't try to escape. She wanted to. By God, she wanted to.

But there was no point.

He pushed his body upon hers. This was about time where she began to struggle, but he had both of her hands in his grasp. She glared at him and he leaned in closer.

"You're a disgusting person." She hissed to him.

He said nothing back; he just kept leaning closer and closer. Their noses were touching. Sakura should see the details in his blue eyes and the raindrops in his eyelashes. Finally, he pressed his mouth upon hers and forcefully kissed her.

* * *

I don't have anything to say about this chapter... apart from I didn't use many 'ruler' tools, I'm not very good at portraying death and that I like the character of Aita... She might be a prostitute, but she sure doesn't act like one. At first I imagined her to be like Haku but she changed. She was going to be a very young woman at first, but she matured. The woman I see in my head is majestic and incredible... I like this, I think. The idea to have a woman so beautiful in such a bleak situation interests me. I think I'll slip her in to later chapters... Ahaha, I'm so sly.

I'm really making up this story as I go along... usually I plan out my stories, but for this one, I'm just winging it. I know how it's going to turn out, of course... But at first, there was no death. I really pulled the name 'Takao Shinomori' out of my butt... Ahaha... But Sakurako is actually a name. 'Ko' comes from 'Kodoma' meaning child, so I'm sure you can figure out what it means.

The next chapter will be SakuraUchiha14's Bonus chapter. She gets a bonus chapter for not only being my first reviewer ever, but also for continuing to give me reviews and help.

She requested SasuSaku, so expect that in the next chapter.

Review please!

* * *

**Sneak preview of next chapter:**

**The end of the alley seemed miles away, but the stench of death was steadily disappearing. Sakura was still near-sightless from the tears stinging her eyes yet she could just about see the turning in front of them.**

**Sasuke was there. He was pulling Sakura around the corner.**

**  
Sakura could see the light looming down on-**

**CRACK.**


	9. What Not To Ask Sasuke

This is the bonus chapter for Jill-chan, a.k.a SakuraUchiha14. I adore her long reviews, so I thought she needed to be rewarded... Sorry it took so long, you guys! I've been in Florida for the last couple of weeks!

Unrelated note: I couldn't imagine the Uchiha house without 'Sakura Kiss for Strings' from Ouran playing in my head...

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. I think everyone has established that by this point in life. Also, I do not own the bands or their songs mentioned in this chapter, but I think people realize that a 14-year-old girl in England doesn't manage the smex that is Asian Kung-Fu Generation.

* * *

**We Were Meant To Be**

**  
Chapter Nine**

Tears streamed down Sakura's face. She had refused not to cry before, but right now she had no choice. It was terrible. It was like she was sucking the breath out of her. He tasted like cigarette smoke and alcohol.

Sakura sobbed, but he didn't stop. It wasn't even right to call it a kiss. It was more like stealing. Stealing her innocence. Stealing her first kiss away from her with this abomination of an attempt.

He forced his tongue in deeper, and to her horror, he could feel his hands slowly scuttling up her legs.

She felt dirty. She felt _filthy_. _Just kill me now!_ Her head was roaring. She couldn't bear it. She felt she was going to expl-

**CRASH.**

"What, the-"

**THUD.**

He tore away and they finally broke apart. Sakura was gasped for breath, her hand clutching against her chest. Shinomori's other two men were on the ground and unmoving. She didn't catch what happened next, but when she opened her eyes again, Shinomori was standing before her, wrestling with a silhouette. His gun was in his outstretched hand, but another hand had grabbed his wrist and forced his arm upwards.

Sakura breathed as she saw the skies open up in the rain. A streak of moonlight hit her in the face.

There was another loud noise that made Sakura flinch. She looked back to see Shinomori on the ground in a heap. He was struggling for his gun, which had been kicked to the side, cursing audibly.

"Come on!" Said a new voice, grabbing her hand and jerking her forward. It was coming from the shady figure that Sakura was only just about able to see in the gloomy night. It was familiar, but the rain clouded it. She pulled back, not letting herself be taken again. Her eyes widened when her bangs were whipped away by the cold wind.

"Haruno!" It barked, wrenching her forward

For an instant, Sakura couldn't move. She thought she was dreaming. In the dingy streetlight a strong, mature face could be made out. His high cheekbones were accented in the newfound silver light. His dark hair was soaked and hung straight - framing his face. He looked at her not with coldness, but through fear. Even so, Sakura gasped.

"S-Sasuke??"

"Move it!"

Sakura tried to run, but the man had latched himself on to Sakura's leg. Feeling his clammy hands against her bare skin was almost as unbearable as the kiss itself. She tried to shake it off, but his fingernails dug in to her ankle. Whimpering through her tears she struggled from him.

Growling, Sasuke delivered his foot to Shinomori's face with an immense 'SMACK.' Shinomori let go immediately, dragging away Sakura's skin as he did. He grabbed his nose, screaming in pain. Sakura did not look to see the blood pouring out.

They ran. Sasuke was clutched on to her hand and she let him take it. The world was crushing around her, but she did not hear. She did not see. She did not feel hand in Sasuke's, nor did she feel the pain from the deep cuts on her leg. The rain had numbed her body and the hatred and anger inside her had numbed her senses.

She left a trail of blood behind - flooding from the scars that marked the experience. The worst experience of her life. This was something that was going to wound her for the rest of her life.

The end of the alley seemed miles away, but the stench of death was steadily disappearing. Sakura was still near sightless from the tears stinging her eyes yet she could just about see the turning in front of them.

Sasuke was there. He was pulling Sakura around the corner.

Sakura could see the light looming down on-

**CRACK.**

There it was. The slowest moment of Sakura's life. The sound rebounded around her and sliced her ears apart. She almost collapsed under the fear of it all.

The loud noises flooding her ears.

The memories of being forced in to.

The rushing gust of cold air that boomed between them, crashing in to the opposite wall. Sakura could only glance down that alley where Shinomori was lying, his gun aimed towards them in his hands.

An inch to the left, and Sakura would be dead.

An inch to the right, and Sasuke would be dead.

The water was up to her ankles and splashing around her. They ran and ran past the shady looking stores and the dead-looking people. Sakura didn't have a chance to look in to that bar to catch even the slightest glimpse of Aita or Sayu. She could only look at the ground - the cobblestone path that lay before them. And she could only hear the heavy breathing of Sasuke in front of her.

_Sasuke-kun..._

Quickly, he guided her in to a side street and doubled back a few times, before finally stopping. They were both panting. Sasuke frowned at her. Sakura was still crying - and the sight of Sasuke coughing up blood didn't help matters.

"Sasuke-kun!" She breathed, reaching in to her back for a tissue. Heaven knows how she still had the thing. "Stay still." She wiped the blood away, worriedly. "Did that guy hit you?"

"You stupid girl." He said, gripping her shoulders. She dropped the bloodstained tissue. "You stupid, stupid girl. Why are you so stupid??" He shook her lightly as if to hope that some common sense would be stirred up.

Sakura didn't say anything back. She put her arms around Sasuke's middle and hugged him. She silently wept with her face in Sasuke's wet coat. After a minute or two, she broke apart from him, nodding.

"You're soaked." He said, feeling her sodden jacket again. Rolling his eyes, he stripped his own coat of his back, holding it out to her.

She didn't take it. She only looked at him through guilty, green eyes.

"Haruno. I've got a sweater on anyway. So take it, already."

"Sasuke-kun, I could never-"

Sakura!"

She stopped and brought her hands to her mouth in thought. It was the first time he'd ever called her by her first name instead of just 'Haruno.' Did that mean that he was just plain angry or that they _were _friends after all? She didn't dwell on it very long after seeing the growing look of irritation in Sasuke's eyes. She blushed and looked away as she zipped it up.

Even though Sasuke was pretty slender, his coat was still several sizes too big to her. Heck, it was _supposed _to reach half way down _his _thighs, so Sakura was completely dwarfed. It covered her skirt and reached her knees, but at least it was warm and dry.

"Okay." He snatched her hand in his again, stalking towards the light at the end of the path. "Come on."

* * *

The streets were finally becoming lighter and more crowded. The whirl of talking voices around them was comforting, even though Sakura was chilled the bone. She looked up to see the same stores full of clothes. Couples were talking and shopping in the lit up square. Sasuke pulled her to the left, in to a separate courtyard crowded with people. The sweet smell of cooked food indulged her. 

Finally, she knew she was free. Finally, she knew she was safe. At last, she could breathe easily.

After that, Sasuke didn't look at her. He didn't let go of her hand. He led her through the bustling masses of people - to the middle of the courtyard. The sound of running water rang in their ears, and Sakura saw a fountain before her. There were lights shining in the water - illuminating Sakura's eyes.

Suddenly, he forced her to sit down on to the wall of the fountain and looked at her. He didn't glare. He didn't smile. He didn't say _anything_. He looked as if a big burden had been released from his shoulders.

"You." He started tiredly. He averted his eyes, growling. "You're the biggest idiot I've ever met."

**Meh. I've heard worse.**

But Sakura still felt bad. She was an idiot, as much as she hated to admit it. She was so wrapped up in her own thoughts by this point that she hadn't even realized that it had stopped raining.

Frowning, he wiped his wet fringe out of his eyes. He sat beside her and they both tried to catch their breath.

She was hungry. She felt unclean. She was tired. Sakura glanced up to the clock tower that dominated the horizon. It was five to twelve. It had been nine hours. _Nine whole hours since she had ran away._

* * *

Sakura didn't know where Sasuke was leading her, but she walked beside him all the same. All she knew is that it was nowhere near her house or the school. They had been walking for a while now, but Sasuke seemed to know where he was going. Soon, the dense, town had faded in to softer suburbs. The houses got bigger and bigger until they rivaled that of Sakura's own house. They were no longer in blocks, but away from the road, connected by driveways and streets - like tributaries of a river. 

But they still walked.

"Sasuke-kun? Where are we going?" She asked finally.

It took a while for Sasuke to answer, but he eventually told her gruffly, "To my house."

**Sasuke's house? The heck are we going there for?**

But she didn't answer back. Not to the voice in her head, nor to Sasuke. She just thought. What would Sasuke's house be like? Would she meet his parents? And what about that brother of his?

_"The Uchiha's are one of the richest families in the world, of course. And not to mention that his parents would have given him their entire fortune to get him back. No, despite Uchiha-kun's detestable attitude, the family is extremely close. Even that unbearably charming brother of his"_

That is was Tsunade had said to her, and ever since then, she had been curious to meet his family - Especially this disgustingly enchanting brother of his. It would make a change to Sasuke's coldness.

But Sakura didn't mind Sasuke's icy attitude. He could be nice-ish when he wanted to.

Finally, they turned in to a driveway. Sakura couldn't see it all in the dark, but she could tell it was huge. There were windows lit up on the seventh story, and she was pretty sure that it was even taller than that. It made her house look like a _baby_.

It even took a while to get to the front door. They had a lot of garden to walk through, and Sakura could smell the sweet scent of thousands of flowers. In the morning, she was going to ask Sasuke if she could see them. She felt she owed it to herself, even if she knew that she didn't deserve anything right then.

At long last, the door was before them. Sakura frowned at it in disbelief. Imagine three fire trucks stacked on top of each other. That was the equivalent of the Uchiha's door. How did they open it??

They sure did like to live comfortably. Not long after Sasuke had set foot on to the steps leading up to the door, had it opened up, revealing a tall, young man dressed in black and white.

**THIS wimp opened the door??**

"Sasuke-sama." He gave Sasuke a bow. "I will inform the mistress of your return."

"Hn."

Sakura was astounded as she walked in. The room resembled a church - a very tasteful church. The walls were all white and it had a very high ceiling. As she walked, the echoes sounded about her. At the far end was a long staircase leading to the third floor. How you got to the second, however, was not evident to Sakura.

"Haruno." Sasuke called. He went in to the next room. Sakura trotted after her.

This room was smaller but no less majestic. The floors were wooden paneled and Sasuke was walking towards a couch on next to a series of tall windows. She followed, unsure of what was going to happen. He told her to sit, and she did. It was soft and velvety. He did not, on the other hand, sit with her. He only stood before her. He folded his arms and gave her a strict frown. Apparently Sasuke had found his ability to glare again.

She looked away and plaited her long, wet hair - blushing. He cleared his throat, forcing her to look up again. But as soon as she did, tears welled up in her eyes.

She sniffed. "I'm sorry, Sasuke."

Still nothing. Sakura pressed on.

"I'm sorry for running." She hiccupped through tears. "And - I'm s-sorry - for making you look - for me." Her jaw quivered and she wiped her eyes with her already soaked sleeve. "And - I'm sorry that - we almost got k-k-killed."

He raised an eyebrow.

"And I'm sorry - that Kiba and N-Naruto - dragged you to meet my parents in the first place. I-I didn't - ask them - to."

The sound of a door opening resounded through the room. Sasuke looked up. Sakura peered round the sofa to see woman hurry towards Sasuke and a younger, handsome man follow after her.

"Sasuke!" She put her hands on his shoulders and looked him up and down. "You're soaking wet! You were out in that storm without a coat or anything?"

The man hummed playfully as he strode round to Sasuke. "Mother, he gave the girl his coat. Foolish little brother." He pinched Sasuke's cheek, making his younger brother lash out at him, aggressively. "What have you been up to, then?" He looked at Sakura, smirking. Sakura blushed and looked away, sniffing again. "Breaking a young girl's heart in two, it seems. I'm not sure why she's wet, though... or wearing your coat... Must be an odd craze of yours."

Looking to the windows, Sakura could only now see that the torrential rain had ceased to be.

The mother now looked at Sakura, ignoring her sons' loud argument. Apparently she had overlooked her before. Sakura was surprised. Usually her hair colour prevented that. She smiled kindly and stepped over to the petite young girl.

"So," She gave a small laugh, before leaning to shake Sakura's hand. "Hmm, I didn't expect you to be so cute. You're the little troublemaker, then?"

Sakura blushed again and gave the tiniest nod. Great. Now Sasuke's whole family would know her as 'The Troublemaker.' Just perfect. Sasuke's brother looked positively amused by the idea.

"What's your name, dear?"

"Haruno Sakura." She said, brushing her hair out of her eyes.

"Ah, so _you're _Mizu's daughter! In that case, a little mischief is expected." She gave a captivating hum. "I'm Mikoto. I'm Sasuke's mother. And as soon as **my sons' stop being embarrassing and start being civilized.**" She said loudly, hinting in a way that reminded her of Neji. The boys quietened and looked at their mother. "I'm sure that my eldest son would like to be polite and introduce him self."

The older boy flicked his long hair over his shoulder (giving Sasuke a final pinch of the cheek, receiving an elbow to the back in return) before getting down on one knee before her. Sasuke coughed. Sakura blinked. Was this the charming brother that Tsunade had talked of? He certainly looked like Sasuke - except this boy looked more feminine in his face type. He had long; dark hair tied at the back of his head and wore clothes that were different to Sasuke's. His clothes were much more formal looking than Sasuke's.

"Sakura, was it?" He took her hand, regardless of the fact that she was still very wet. "I'm delighted to meet someone from such a dignified family. I am Uchiha Itachi, heir to the Uchiha family."

Sakura hesitantly nodded and gave a shaky word of thanks before Itachi left the room again. She couldn't help agree with Tsunade that Sasuke's brother was infuriatingly chanting. It was as if he was mocking you, which he probably was, now that Sakura thought about it.

She yawned loudly. All this thinking was making Sakura even more tired.

"Sasuke, take your friend to her room."

And to her surprise, he grabbed her wrist and prowled off, leaving her to drift sleepily behind him. He probably thought she was going to go the wrong way or something, considering she was_ "The biggest idiot he'd ever met."_

Sakura wasn't even looking around herself anymore. Her eyes were closed and she was simpling trailing behind Sasuke. He could have led her of a cliff if he had wanted to. All she wanted to do was sleep.

* * *

Sakura was surrounded by velvety softness. She was sitting on a cloud, floating through the sky. She rolled over and felt a downy material brush over her. It encased her, and as she opened her eyes, all she could see was crimson red. 

She rubbed her face, groaning. Her voice was hoarse and croaky. She tried to sit up, but there was an ache in her back and legs. She grunted in discomfort and finally managed to haunch herself upright with her arms. Thrashing feebly at the covers over her, she was blinded by the light that met her on the other side.

_What? Why's the window in front of me? It's supposed to be to the side of me. Did I sleep funny or something?_

**Newsflash, idiot. This isn't your room.**

Smash. Sakura remembered it all in a gushing torrent of fear. It felt cold. Running away, going in to that shady bar, seeing that woman being killed before her eyes... and being-

She didn't want to even _think _about it.

"So, I'm in the Uchiha's house." She rubbed her eyes, reminiscing to herself aloud and looking down at herself. She was in a yutaka-like nightgown made of white silk. The sleeves were too long and hung over her hands. Sakura hummed. She didn't own anything this nice, and if she had, she certainly wouldn't sleep in it. Her hair was no longer wet and straggled. No, she was warm and perfectly dry.

Her eyes were just about adjusted to the light, and she could see a wood paneled room around her. A tall window stood in front of her. The sun was still pretty low in the sky, so it couldn't have been too late in the day. She wasn't late for school, was she? Wait... what day was it, anyway?

"Ah, you're up." Said a voice to her right. She recoiled and rolled round to see Sasuke lying on a sofa wearing a pair of headphones. There was a blanket and a pillow on the ground beneath him. Sakura immediately looked down again. He was wearing only a pair of jeans, which were ripped at both knees. His hair was irritatingly good. How could he not have bed hair?? Sakura pouted, fondling her own pink locks that were messy and curly.

"S-Sasuke." She started risking a look back. Crap, she was sucked in. Damn teenage-girl-ness. She strained her eyes back to his face again. He didn't look sleepy either. What was with this guy? "Why are you here?"

He shrugged and sat up. _Eyes to the face, Sakura_. Wah... His stomach was so compactly muscled... Sakura knew he wasn't just skin and bones like Naruto and Kiba told her. "It's my room."

"Then why am _I _here? I mean, surely you have a guest room - if not thirty-"

He didn't look at her, but he went to the wardrobe in one of the corners of the room. "My brother tricked my father in to letting him design the guest rooms. They're purposely frightening - just in case any of _his _friends decided to crash here or something. If you woke up in one of them, you'd jump out of a window."

Sakura folded her arms. "What makes you think I'd do that?"

"You tend to do stupid things when you're under stress, Haruno." He pulled on a black jersey and turned around. Both his eyebrows were raised. In Sasuke body language, that equaled a grin.

She stretched and yawned. He was never going to let her live yesterday down, the git. "I've got to call my mom and tell her where I am..."

"My mom already called her."

"Well, then I've got to call Tenten and the others."

"I told everyone already." He sat himself back on the couch and started messing around with his music player. "Naruto and Kiba want you to know that you owe them forever."

"...Ah."

"And Tenten's going to strangle you."

"Ah, I love my friends." She laughed and pushed away the heavy bed covers. On trying to stand up, she found that it caused her great pain. She lifted up the gown a bit to see her leg - her bandaged leg. She bit her lip, trying not to remember what had happened. She opened her mouth to ask Sasuke a question, but decided not to after she saw him placing one of the earpieces in. She scrambled over the bed and hobbled over to him. "Whatcha listening to?"

"Nothing."

She tilted her head and smiled. "Can I listen to 'nothing' with you?"

He shrugged. Sakura took this as a yes and sat beside him. He handed her the earpiece and she put it in, expectantly as she watched Sasuke flick through songs. She watched their titles flash by, generally not knowing the artists until-

"Ooh! Riraito!" She grabbed his arm. "Can we hear to that?"

Sasuke said nothing, but tapped back to the song and lay back on the couch. Sakura chewed her finger whilst listening to it. The song was in two parts, so Sakura only had the main guitar and not the bass. Sasuke didn't seem to care though, but he was doing something that Sakura found entertaining.

He was drumming his fingers on the chair's arm in rhythm to the drums. His face was completely blank though. Sakura watched him for a little longer and finally giggled. He looked at her from the corner of his eye and she turned away from him again.

The song ended after a couple more minutes and Sasuke got up, throwing her the other earpiece. Sakura took this as some sort of gesture of kindness and popped in the other piece. She flicked to a random song and watched Sasuke walk in to the second part of his bedroom which she could make out to be the bathroom.

_Sasuke has an en suite? _Sakura growled in her head._ Lucky._

Coming back in to the room with a pile of folded clothes, he dropped them on to her lap and yanked back his earpiece without saying a word. Sakura gingerly unfolded them and held up a yellow dress with a flowery pattern. A pair of white legwarmers remained on her lap. A note suddenly drifted out from the hem and she plucked it out of the air.

_Sakura-san,_

_Here are some of my old clothes to wear for the time being. _

_Sorry if they're big._

_  
Uchiha Mikoto._

"I'm going to get changed in to these." Sakura skipped (or at least tried to skip. Twisted ankle prevented this from working very well) around the corner to Sasuke's bathroom, frowning in disgust as she entered it. It was huge. Now his room seemed even bigger. Damn it.

It took a while for Sakura to get of the silk dressing gown. It shouldn't have been really, considering she guessed that it also belonged to Sasuke's mother and was bigger than her. She puffed out her cheeks. Was she really that short?

Her underwear was still on, she realized as the dress was finally on the floor. Taking the yellow dress, she pulled it over her head and let it fall. It reached just above her knees. Sakura got the idea that the legwarmers were to hide her bandage, so she pulled them on too.

Her father had never approved of skirts without jeans or leggings or _something _under them, so Sakura felt strange. Now that she came to think of it, even though he claimed to be the 'Fun Parent,' he was ridiculously over-protective.

She walked out again and twirled for Sasuke and for her own amusement. Sasuke didn't look nearly as happy as she did though.

"How do I look?" She said, peppily.

"Hn."

She rolled her eyes and hopped back to the sofa again. "I guess that's a 'you look even more ugly than usual, Sakura,' then." He only looked at her, but looked away as soon as she glanced towards him. With a little jump, she brought herself to the sofa again.

Sasuke watched her from the corner of his eye. She... wasn't doing anything? Well, she was kicking her feet up and down and making the couch bounce. He grunted, telling himself not to think about it. Click, click, and click - he focused on the music.

...What was that whole 'ugly' thing before? Was that some sort of reverse-psychology to make him say that she looked pretty? She wasn't a fangirl was she...? He took a fleeting look at her again. She didn't _act _like a fangirl, even if she was overly happy when he was with her.

...Or was she always overly happy?

He grumbled again, looking away when she looked over to him to see the problem. It was not his place to decide such things about her and he was thinking too much about it. Even if she was a weirdly-coloured, excessively-cheery, short-

He was doing it again.

And still she hadn't asked to listen with him? Was she waiting for him to propose it so she felt some sort of gratitude or something?

"Mmn." Sakura heard the boy mumble and looked over to him again, even though she was sure that it would be nothing like the other two times, when she saw him holding the other earpiece out to her. And he was looking at her. He hardly ever did that if he could help it. She screwed up her eyes - asking him why.

"Don't do that. It make's you look weird."

Sakura relaxed her face again and picked the earpiece out of his hand and placed it accordingly. Sasuke picked the song and start to tap out the beat with his fingers again. Sakura again grinned at this unlikely habit. It was almost cute, until she looked up to see him peering down on her.

"What?"

"Huh?"

"Why are you smiling?" Sasuke demanded, pausing the song and kicking one leg up over the other. "What, are you going to convert to a fangirl like all those other idiots?"

Sakura chuckled. "You say it as if it's a bad thing. I'm not your fangirl, by the way." She added as Sasuke's expression seemed to darken. "You just have a habit of tapping out the rhythm of the song with your fingers and I think it's cute."

Sasuke's look hardened. "Cute?" He sniffed as she nodded consequently. "Guy's are not cute, Haruno."

"...They're not?" He shook his head and she sucked her knuckle. "Then what are you?"

He shrugged. "You have weird habits as well." He added, changing the subject.

When in doubt, talk about something else, after all. Sasuke wasn't about to admit he didn't know the answer anyway - and he strongly doubted that this girl would allow him to be quiet for very long.

"You do." He pressed on, as she smiled and shook her head in disbelief. He folded his arms. "Like when you think a lot, you start to suck your finger."

As soon as he had uttered those words, Sakura's hand fell to her lap again. She frowned and put on a cool expression. Swinging her legs fully on to the couch, she looked in to that victorious expression of his. He raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, so that's how its gonna be, Sasuke-kun?" She whirled a lock of rose hair between her fingers. "At least my hair doesn't look like a duck's butt."

He brought his hands to the back of his head sensitively. "My hair does not-" He knit his brow angrily as she laughed at him. He sniffed and turned to her more, bringing his feet up on to the couch and leaning against its arm. "At least I'm not a midget."

Sakura's smile disappeared. "I am not a midget!"

"I'm a foot bigger than you, Haruno."

"Yeah, well you're super, super big!"

"_Tenten's _taller than you, and Tenten's _tiny_."

Sakura bounced up to consider this, measuring out a foot with her hands and then stacking it on top of her height. She narrowed her eyes at the outcome and ignored Sasuke's scoff from beside her. She shrugged and smiled. "I'm not short." She slumped on the sofa again. "I'm just unusually... not tall." She laughed. Sasuke smiled and-

SASUKE DID WHAT-WHO-WHERE NOW?

"Ooh!" She straightened up and shuffling closer to him. "Do that again! Do the smile!"

Sasuke frowned and huffed. He closed his eyes and gave a swift shake of his head.

"Aww, why not?"

He looked away and Sakura thought she could see the tiniest hint of a blush on his cheeks. "_I_ have _duck-butt_-hair." He grumbled, hunching his shoulders.

Sakura giggled. Sasuke was actually so thin-skinned over something so small? It must have been Naruto and Kiba's endless teasing._ Haha, this proves it! _Sakura told herself. _Sasuke-kun does have feelings! Take that Naruto. Take that Kiba._

"...Why are you smiling?"

"No reason, Sasuke-kun." Sakura jumped up and grabbed Sasuke's hand, pulling him upright from the sofa. He moved with surprising ease. "I'm hungry. Can we go get some breakfast please?"

* * *

Sasuke was perplexed - if not a little disturbed. 

He had made the decision that he and Sakura were not going to go down to the dining room because it was too far. Sakura had the feeling it was because of the possibilities of running in to Itachi, though. Why he had such a strong dislike for his brother yet his brother brushed it off as if it were dust on his sleeve... it was a mystery to her.

And Sasuke had no intentions of telling her if she asked. No, she had twisted too many answers out of him by this point already, although he never actually realized what he was saying until moments later. Why was he saying so much to this girl? Just because she wasn't a fangirl and because she had the added bonus that she wouldn't try to tear his head off (Unlike Temari or Tenten) wasn't a reason to accidentally tell her so much about himself. That's not _Uchiha_. That's not _Sasuke_. There was no way this pink-haired weirdo was going to get personal family relationship information out of him.

But that wasn't why Sasuke was irritated and confused. No.

The reason he was confused was because he felt like this girl was monitoring him. He had this feeling... that she was watching him. Yet, when he turned to look at her, she was looking down at the plate of food in her lap, humming to herself with that ridiculous grin on her face.

She really was weird, but then again, being weird is probably an indispensable quality when you own hair that colour... Was it actually her real haircolour? He couldn't imagine her with blonde hair whatever...

"Haruno, is that your natural hair colour?" He said without noticing, but when he did notice he bit the inside of his lip hard. Crap. He did it again and now she was looking at him with that stupid grin again.

She fluffed it fondly. "Sasuke-kun, you sure are asking me a lot of stuff lately." Sasuke growled. He knew, thank you very much. "But yes. This is my natural hair colour. I get that a lot. See," She pulled a few strands of hair out of her head with nothing more then a blink and held them in front of his face. "The roots are pink."

He squinted at them and looked away after mumbling something about 'Not having to go that far.' What kind of girl does that to prove something so silly? Not any girl that Sasuke knew, anyway... He glanced back to her, making absolute sure that she wasn't looking at him. She had now indulged her attention in peeling an apple and humming to 'Riraito.'

What's more is that Sasuke didn't know any girl who openly liked Rock music. Sure, she was in to stuff like... Sasuke couldn't remember the name of the person Sakura had rattled on to him, Naruto and Kiba about... Nana something... Mizawa...? Whatever. He didn't give a damn, anyway.

"Sasuke, can I ask you a question, now?" She said, separating the pieces of apple on to two plates.

Sasuke shrugged.

She held a plate of apple pieces up to him. "Are we friends?"

This rather sharp inquiry threw Sasuke off a bit. What? Why was that important to her? Did she want to become his friend? Sasuke didn't have many friends, or to be exact - he didn't want many friends. And what was with the apple? This girl was too freaky.

He only shrugged again and after Sakura persisted, he took the plate of apple from her. Looking at her, she seemed... pleased. She was smiling bigger than usual - and that was saying something - and there was a tinge in her cheeks. He rolled his eyes. Girls get in such a huge fuss over nothing at all.

"Sasuke-kun, what do you think of those girls who like you at school?"

He narrowed his eyes at her doe-eyed face. What was she thinking..? "Annoying." He said, fixedly and taking a bite out of one of his apple slices. Sasuke never said more words than necessary. That's what annoyed him most about him spilling so many details with this girl. There was definitely something up. He knew she was smart. Maybe she was pulling some sort of mind trick to make him think she's smarter? He decided to investigate and opened one eye slyly. "Why?"

She waved her hand, as if brushing off the very thought. "No reason, really. I just thought having a fan club would be fun."

Sasuke scoffed and took a swig of his soda.

"Have you ever loved someone, Sasuke-kun?"

* * *

Ahaha... I hope it was fluffy and nice enough for you Jill-chan... -sigh- I love SasuSaku... 

I love all your reviews! Please keep reviewing!

* * *

My 30th reviewer did not reply! Aww, that means that the spot is up for grabs! I think I'm going to make it the 45th Reviewer gets it, because since I've been away for so long and all, it seems best to me to start fresh. Basically, the 45th reviewer gets a bonus chapter with the couple of your choice!

Same rules apply from last time! Review please! Faves are nice, but reviews are GOLD!


	10. What Not To Do In An IQ Test

Chapter Ten for you all!

Some things you should know.

**1**. Uchiha Itachi is eighteen in this story. Just a heads up.

**2**. Some of you might have noticed that I have deleted the story **The Friend of my Love is My Enemy **from my archives. I'm sorry to say that I can no longer continue this story because of the fact that I am not inspired to write it. I began the story because I wanted to write a series, not because I particularly impressed myself with the plot or anything. I was kind of naive to writing back then and still am now. This story that you are reading now is something I'm interested in and therefore I feel compelled to write it. Sorry if that disappoints those of you that have story on your alert list.

**3**. The 45th review went to **singingwiththevoiceofanangel**, but I know her as Angel-san XD Expect a NejiTen chapter in the future!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto - I hate having to admit that every time I write a chapter. It's effing depressing.**

No more delays! On with the chapter!!

* * *

**We Were Made To Be**

**Chapter Ten**

**What not to do in an IQ test**

_Sasuke scoffed and took a swig of his soda._

_"Have you ever loved someone, Sasuke-kun?"_

Sasuke swallowed his soda too fast. The bubbles went to his nose and he pounded his chest to keep from coughing. What was with these idiot queries she was constantly pitching at him? "Do I honestly look like the type to fall in love to you?" He snapped, angrily.

Sakura only tilted her head, which only added to Sasuke's irritation. And when she started sucking her knuckle in thought, he really got annoyed.

"I just thought it'd be fun if you were in someone else's fan club."

Sasuke folded his arms and gave her a chilly stare. "I don't do love **or **fan clubs."

"I thought so."

"Then why ask?"

She sucked her knuckle again, eyes glistening with thought. "Because even though I can usually guess how you're going to react, sometimes you surprise me very much, Sasuke-kun."

This girl was not helping herself. He had finally figured out her game by this point. It was all becoming clear. She had just gone from nuisance to hindrance in Sasuke's book. Any more and she'd a full frontal 'Annoying.' Sasuke could think of a whole lot of other words he could have used, but his Uchiha upbringing forbade this.

Yet, when out of his parent's reach, he used them anyway. He was SUCH a rebel.

"Oh?" Sasuke baited coolly. "Like when?"

Sakura chewed on an apple peace to give her knuckle a rest for once. "Like..." She strained her brains for answers. Sasuke could have made a variety of sarcastic remarks about this, but chose not to. "Like when you saved me. For once, you didn't look like you just wanted to be left alone..." She pinched an apple slice from the place and crunched it between her teeth.

"Stop doing that."

"What? Eating?"

Sasuke folded his arms and spoke in a demanding, deep voice. "You are clearly giving me vague or annoying answers so I'm tempted to ask you more questions."

"I am doing no such thing." Sakura said, more firmly than usual. "I'm surprised at you, Sasuke-kun."

"You did again."

Sakura got to her feet, scowling at him. He only looked at her as if she were the most insignificant life form on earth and eyed him up and down. Was he having a mood swing or something? Maybe Naruto and Kiba were right. Sasuke had menstruation.

**Hit him for me, 'kay?**

For once, Sakura was actually considering the words that her inner voice spoke. "I am not trying to get a conversation out of you because I want you to talk to me, Sasuke-kun. I am talking you because _I_ want to talk to _you_. I think all those fangirls that have been choking you have given you brain damage." She said, snappily. When he only looked away, she snapped. "That and _permanent chicken hair_."

* * *

Sasuke looked at her. She didn't look back. Itachi was sat in the middle of them with an interested expression flicking from one side to another. He didn't understand what was going on fully, but he was sure it was about to reveal itself. All he had to do is wait it out between two pubescent teenagers.

Brilliant.

It was true. Sasuke was still angry at _her _for being such an annoying idiot - what, with running away for _no reason at all _and making them all chase after her as she almost gets her ass raped... but there was no way in hell that he was going to show it. He felt a tight feeling in his chest and the strange urge to _bite_ something, yet his face was just as calm as ever.

Okay, maybe not calm. Sakura was eying the pulsing vein in his neck nervously. He was only as calm as he had to be.

Stupid Haruno and her stupid ability to make him stupid. She was permanently to be called Haruno now, because she seemed to dislike it - and the fact that she had brought his jerk-of-a-brother to join them with journey to her house. Besides. If he had to be 'Sasuke-kun' then she gets 'Haruno.'

And after he saves her and brings her back to his place, thus doing one of the nicest things he had ever done - or rather, HAD to do - in his life, all she can do is say sorry and hijack his music player minutes afterwards. She even had the nerve to ask him to keep his mouth shut to Naruto and Kiba. The morons would be bugging him for information, and he wouldn't be able to shut them up by giving it to them. No, he was going to have to twist his way out of it. The thing is, they might be absolute simpletons, but even they catch on to things eventually. Some time they were going to realize how he was dodging the questions and take it for something idiotic or extremely perverted.

Oh, she so owed him. And he was going to have as much fun as he could possibly allow himself to have thinking up how she was going to pay him back.

He inwardly smacked himself. He was beginning to sound like Itachi - what, with the revenge and everything. Ew. He brushed off the sleeves of his sweater tetchily, only to fold his arms and look away when he realized that Sakura was raising an eyebrow at his actions.

Stupid girl.

Anyway, that wasn't the reason they of them were sitting in the back of the Uchiha limo trying not to catch the other's eye. No, at that moment they were stuck in a traffic jam whilst traveling to the Haruno estate in one of the Uchiha limos. Ugh. The mere mention of the name of her own home made Sakura shiver.

Her parents were going to kill her, and what's worse; Sasuke seemed to enjoy the idea.

**Git.**

_Hush it._

Sakura wasn't the kind of girl who wanted a knight in shining armor to swoop down and save her whenever she came in to trouble. Being saved by Sasuke of all people was almost infuriating. Because no matter how many times she said sorry, he never said 'It's okay' or 'You'd do the same for me.' He just sort of shrugged as if it was expected of him and her. Like she couldn't look after herself without being kidnapped or whatever.

If only he were there to see Sakura send Shinomori flying across their school courtyard. That'd wipe that exasperatingly frown off of his face.

"Haruno- the hell are you doing?"

Sakura glancing up at him. Her hands were raised and crumpled in to tiny fists. Her legs stung where she had apparently been thumping herself... How had she not realized this?

Nevertheless, she dropped them immediately and rubbed her neck in her embarrassment. "Ahaha, I guess I'm still angry about it all." She stuck her tongue out childishly. He could only look down his nose at her and turn to look at the passing trees. Sakura narrowed her eyes. He did it AGAIN. That stupid cold, mysterious, penetrating look of perplexity. She directed her glare elsewhere. If Naruto or even Neji had done it, it would look like they were extremely constipated. Why was it that this look suited him so well?

_Years of practice, probably._ Sakura snickered to herself - making a face when she saw that he was watching her again.

_This girl is so weird. _He wrinkled his nose and crossed his legs, looking away.

_Why does he keep watching me? _Sakura risked a glance towards him again, twisting her fingers around each other nervously. He wasn't looking, thank goodness. _Is it my hair? Does he think it's weird too? It probably is. It usually is with everyone else._

"Sasuke-kun, should I dye my hair?"

He didn't look at her. _Is this some sort of plan to get me talking to her or something? _He just kind of rotated his shoulders oddly. She took a moment but eventually saw this as an invitation to continue.

"Because I don't really know what I think of it, but everyone else thinks it's so weird. I mean, what am I? A redhead or what?"

"I've already told you - you shouldn't act on what other people think." He said, simply. Sakura watched through big, viridian orbs. "If I did everything the _idiots _told me to do, I'd be blind or deaf or screwed in some manner." He brushed off Sakura's small giggle at this comment. "And you are obviously a _pinkhead_, idiot."

"But I just want to know your opinion, Sasuke-kun."

"No, then." He turned his face away from her. "You're hair looks fine. So stop being so annoying, Haruno."

**Well, that was rude. Hit him for me, 'kay?**

"I was just asking... You don't have to be so..." She mumbled and scowled half-heartedly, bringing her legs in to her chest and squeezing tightly. She asked once more, "Am I really so annoying to you? The most annoying person you've ever, ever met? More annoying than obsessive fan girls?"

"Hn."

"I-Is that a yes or a no?"

He rolled his eyes and sniffed in distaste. Really. Why did everyone ask him that? Was everyone a blubbering idiot? The way he talked was not hard to understand - he was _sure _of it. And he did NOT have chicken hair, just to make himself clear once again - and anyone who thought he did should go and drink bleach.

Basically, he was inviting the whole world to go drink bleach. RIGHT now.

Itachi, who had made himself sparse until now, finally crossed his legs over another and placed his laced hands on his knee. Now he understood the situation fully - or at least as fully as he could get. The story had been quite vague so far.

_Itachi walked in to the hall from the family room where he had just been discussing business ideas and statistics with his father who was currently in Tokyo. The main building was in the Capital city, of course. Itachi - being the eldest - was to inherit the business after his parent's death. _

_But his parents were both alive and well, and Itachi was only eighteen. He didn't really have to have anything to do with the business yet, but his father always asked for his advice and opinion. Itachi was his right-hand man and was regarded as a genius._

_  
Tapping his cell phone shut and sighing deeply, he closed the door and walked in to the hall._

_"If you hate me so much, you don't have to take the journey with me."_

_"If I don't take the journey, my mom will eat me. Trust me, his is through no want of my own."_

_  
Itachi sighed again and turned to see his brother and the young Haruno stomp down to him from opposite sides of the stairs. They both had angry faces and were coming down at such a speed that there was no way that Itachi would get out of the way in time. Instead he folded his eyes and observed as they bickered._

_  
"Now what have you-" But Itachi was cut off as the girl with a flare of pink following her grabbed his hand and angrily pulled him towards the door._

_"Itachi, you're taking the journey to my house with us." She commanded. Itachi followed emotionlessly. _

_"Why do I-"_

_"No questions!" His brother snapped from the other side of her._

_As if he wasn't busy enough - but he wouldn't be able to get a word in edgeways right now, so he followed her. Plus, it was entertaining to see his foolish brother look so flustered because of a girl. He watched as Sasuke held the door open for her as she trampled through it._

_  
"THANK YOU."_

_  
"HN."_

And that was basically why Itachi was sitting with his younger brother, who constantly claimed that they weren't related, and his brother's friend who he hardly knew. He gave an amused hum. Sasuke turned away as soon as Itachi started to confirm is existence to him. "It seems to me," Itachi started with a tone in his voice that could be taken for extreme happiness. Too bad the flat expression on his face seemed to take this away, "That a 'problem' has emerged between the two of you.'"

"Darn straight, there's a problem." Sakura grumbled. Sasuke 'hmphed' again.

Itachi surveyed the situation between the two teens before leaning back in his seats. "Oh, Sasuke, what have you done to this girl now? I told you sharing a room with the poor girl was a bad idea."

"I know what you're going to say, so you can shut your face." Sasuke turned to his brother and forced a long finger in to his face. "And I have done nothing to her, for your information."

Sakura scoffed from the side, earning her two looks from the Uchiha brothers. Itachi's expression was far more amused than that of his younger brother. "Sasuke-kun did nothing. It's the fact that he refuses to buy his overlarge ego a leash."

The younger of the two furrowed his brow at the girl and almost bit his brother when Itachi delivered a flick to Sasuke's forehead.

"Sakura's right, oh smaller brother. You really should get that thing a leash before it attacks someone again."

"And you," Sasuke imitated sulking and rubbing his forehead, "Should get a muzzle."

Sakura giggled at Sasuke, only causing him to sulk even more. Itachi rolled his eyes and put an arm around Sakura's shoulders. "I like this girl, Sasuke. She's cute and has an accurate idea on the size of your ego - a very useful trait to have."

"I'm glad you think so, Itachi-sempai." Sakura nodded happily. "I like you too. It's nice to know that not all Uchiha's are so stubborn."

"YOU'RE the stubborn one!" Sasuke burst out suddenly, leaning over his brother angrily. Itachi withdrew his arm from Sakura and raised an eyebrow.

Sakura folded her arms and opened her mouth to speak back but eventually broke back and giggled to herself. "You're right." She breathed. "I am stubborn. Sorry for the chicken hair comment."

Sasuke looked at her confusedly, before leaning back in his seat and folding his arms loosely. Girls sure were hard to decipher. "Aah."

Itachi smiled confidently. It appeared that the two had made up after all. Much too fast for Itachi's taste, anyway. He was just starting to have fun. Although, there would be more fun to follow. Sakura had tensed up. They had turned on the road that led to her house.

"Oh crap." Sakura said, saying a word that she had picked up from Naruto and Kiba. She didn't know what it meant but - oh that's not the point! "Oh crap, oh crap, I'm dead, I'm dead, I died, I'm dead."

"You are not dead." Itachi said confidently. It wasn't as if he had ever met Sakura's parents, anyway. "You are not going to die. Trust me."

The limo entered the driveway and started slowly advancing up it. Since it was a very long driveway it took a while to drive up. By this time, Sakura was practically hyperventilating. She was latched on to Itachi's arm as the Uchiha brothers looked at her plainly.

"Told you she freaks out under stress."

"Really." Itachi said sarcastically, flicking Sasuke again with his free arm. Sasuke growled but didn't react. The car finally came to a halt and he exited quickly, brushing himself off. He'd just had to sit next to his wretched brother for - he checked his watch - thirty minutes and forty-two seconds. Ew. He was going to have to bathe in acid and burn his clothes.

Meanwhile, Itachi was having trouble getting out of the car. Even though Sakura had let go of his arm and the circulation had reached his fingers again, she was now gripping her knees and rocking in her seat. She was biting her lip and staring at her trembling hands.

"Sakura."

"What? Mom, I'm - Oh, Itachi-sempai?" She looked in to him and took the gloved hand he held to her. She was silent as she was pulled out of the limo and up the steps to the front door, but flinched as Sasuke pushed the doorbell. She heard it echo from inside and the tapping footsteps that came to meet it.

It opened, revealing the face of a pretty young maid with light brown hair. Her eyes fell on Sakura and she gasped. "Ah! Sakura-sama! You are here finally-"

"Pardon the intrusion," Itachi interrupted softly, "But may we come in?"

The maid blushed and looked to the floor as she nodded and led them all in to the foyer. Sakura span on her heel, trying to ignore the looks she received from the servants that crossed the hall on their daily routines. The maid, who Sakura knew as Iwao, returned to them. She blushed again as she approached the group, and it seemed she had forbidden herself to look at either of the Uchiha brothers.

"Your mother will be coming down in a moment." She informed quietly before turning to the two brothers again. Still, she couldn't look directly at them, so she settled for staring at the spot directly above Itachi's left shoulder. "Can I get you anything at all?"

Sasuke shook his head.

Itachi threw him a look of disapproval before speaking, "Ignore my brother. He's a lost cause." Sakura watched as Sasuke tensed all the muscles in his body. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble, could you possibly get me a glass of water?"

"Of course! No trouble at all..."

"Uchiha Itachi." He filled in for her. She bowed her head and rushed off, trying to look as poised as possible. Sakura turned to him as he chuckled. "You have such interesting characters here, Sakura."

Sakura was about to answer him, when she saw what she had been dreading.

Her mother stood at the top of the stairs wearing a lilac power suit, looking down at her. Sakura couldn't make out her face, but then again, she didn't particularly want to. She could feel her voice box drop to her knees and her stomach surge. Her mother ran down the stairs and had barely looked at the two boys that stood with her daughter before bringing her in to a firm embrace.

A full minute passed before anything happened, and that was only Sakura's mother hugging her even tighter. Sakura didn't squirm though. She didn't hug back either, she couldn't. She could hear Iwao come back and give Itachi what he had asked for.

Sakura sighed and gently pushed them apart. She looked in to her mother's eyes. They were soft like bluebells and glistening with tears. Her mother, like Sakura, had never been one to cry. "Mom." She said, with a croak in her voice. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," She answered back, much quicker than Sakura had expected her to. "We expected something like this, anyway."

And for a moment, they just talked. About nothing at all. Sakura just felt so relieved to hear the ring of her mother's voice again. It felt like a lifetime since they had parted. She had forgotten the Uchiha brother's were there, but her mother hadn't. With a final stroke of her daughter's hair, she turned to them. "Thank you for accompanying my daughter home, I am very grateful." She held her hand out to Itachi first. "I'm Haruno Mizu. Well, at least I know you, Itachi." She held her hand to the tall Uchiha male. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Sakura looked at her mother suddenly. Then to Itachi, and then back to her mother again. They were acquaintances?

"Of course," Itachi hummed, shaking the hand with an alluring smile on his face. "Much too long. I propose lunch to discuss _Haruno's _business ordeals with that of our own. We've been literally cut of from each other."

"That sounds agreeable." She said before turning to Sasuke. He didn't look as surprised as Sakura about their relations, but he did have an eyebrow raised. It diminished after he shook Mizu's hand though. "Uchiha Sasuke-kun, I presume?"

Sasuke said nothing, but he nodded stoically. Sakura blinked.

Her mother gave a final sigh before bowing to the two boys. "Thank you for retrieving my daughter. If there's anything that I can do-"

But Itachi raised his hand to stop her. "Just know that our Mother says that both you and your daughter are welcome in the Uchiha house at any time." He looked at Sakura and gave a slight smile. It was more like a twist of the lips really. "It seems that my Mother is quite fond of you."

"Well that's just great..." Her mother smiled again.

Sakura was sure that she wasn't the only one who felt out of place with all this smiling and small talk, because she could see that Itachi wanted to talk to her about some sort of business proposition, and now Sakura's mother would have to listen. Sakura watched as the glint in Itachi's eyes became more and more noticeable. She could also see Sasuke getting more and more bored. Slipping behind her mother, she walked over to him. He watched her carefully.

"You okay, Sasuke-kun?"

"Hn."

"Bored much?"

He looked away.

"So what are you going to do after this?"

He shrugged. "I have to meet everyone tonight. The morons bugged me in to it."

She chuckled. "That sounds a lot like them. What kind of place are going to? Knowing them it'd some kind of stripp-"

"We're going to a café, Haruno." He stopped her, frowning. "Its kind of like the 'group meeting place' apparently.

"Where are you meeting them?"

He mumbled. It was going to be another pointless conversation with this girl. Why was she so happy? She was having a panic attack just moments before. "At the Indigo café downtown." He paused. "Why?"

Sakura pursed her lips in thought. "Nothing really. I just want to see those guys pretty badly, despite the fact that they're going to eat me alive."

"Then come. The longer you leave it, the more of a fuss they'll make later."

Sakura considered this, "I don't know where it is. And I don't think my mother will let me after what's happened."

"Then ask, idiot."

"...I can't. I'm too scared."

"That's pathetic."

"I know, I know... will you ask her for me?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"But, Sasuke-"

"I said no, Haruno." He said, firmly.

"...Ro-sham-bo for it?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes at her persistence. He didn't understand how a girl this idiotic could do trigonometry without a calculator. It made no sense whatsoever. NOTHING about her made any sense. He was still suspicious about her natural hair colour. Pink couldn't be a natural pigment, could it? But he stuck his hand out all the same. Sakura squeaked with glee, much to his displeasure, and did the same.

_Rock, Paper, Scissors!_

Sasuke twitched and refused to look at her. He folded his arms and closed his eyes scowling.

"Sasuke, come on..." She tugged the sleeve of his jacket. "Ro-sham-bo means instant promise. Pleaaaase?"

He opened a single eye and looked down on to her. She was grinning ridiculously, and he guessed that she wouldn't stop it until he asked. And if he didn't ask, she'd sulk and make a fuss all year. Uchiha Sasuke didn't like fusses. He growled and turned towards her mother, "Mizu-sama,"

Sakura's mother looked at him, surprised.

"Sakura wants to know if she can come to the Indigo cafe with everyone tonight."

"O-oh." She thought aloud. "Well, I shouldn't really after what happened. And I shouldn't really let you go to a competitor of _Haruno's_," She teased, cheerfully; ignoring her daughter's pleading 'puppy-dog eyes' that only she was immune to. "I'm just thinking - because I can't take you. I'm leaving for Osaka this evening, don't you remember Sakura-"

"If I may," Itachi said, suddenly. "I'm sure Sasuke wouldn't mind taking her."

Sakura coughed. Maybe Itachi was as 'evil' as Sasuke said, because it seemed he had done this in order to annoy Sasuke. It seemed to have worked, because Sasuke was glowering even more heavily than before at his brother. "Sasuke doesn't have to." Sakura chimed in, stepping forward. "I think he's had enough of me right now, anyway, and I don't think he's want to do that."

"No, I'll take her."

Sakura glanced over her shoulder in surprise. He was still glaring at Itachi, though. His brother smirked back. "Wonderful. It's good to know that our little Sasuke has gentleman qualities."

Sasuke was about to _hurl_ - and direct it in his brother's direction if possible.

Sakura edged away.

* * *

**...Do I have to point it out to you?**

_No. I see it too._

Sakura was outside with her mother walking around their gardens. It was approaching February so only the most sturdy of flowers showed their faces in this cold month. Sakura had just returned how after running away from her parents, and almost getting raped - of course she wasn't going to tell her mother of that. She was sticking to a strict need-to-know basis.

Despite this, she was still alive. Her mother had said next to nothing about it. She hadn't been eaten, like she had suspected. Not even a long-winded lecture reached Sakura's ears.

Her father hadn't called to rant at her from Boston. She knew they had been worried. They had completely spammed her phone inbox and voicemail... Why had she not been punished?

Not that she was complaining, of course. It was just bugging her, and pretty soon she'd get so curious that she'd have to go and ask-

"Mom, I don't understand."

**You are so predictable.**

"Sweetie, what are you-"

"Mom, I ran away." Sakura poked in, with desperation in her voice. "I don't understand. I should be grounded... or something!"

Her mother opened her mouth to speak, but hesitated. She took her daughters hand and took her to Tomo's swing. The big oak tree rustled loudly. The last of golden leaves had begun to float away in the breeze. It gushed past the two figures, running through two sets of pink hair.

Sakura sat on the swing, looking down at the woman knelt before her. She took Sakura's hands in hers.

"Sakura," She started, unsurely, squeezing her daughter's fingers, "I know that you are not a child any longer, and your father knows it too. I know we have been..." She paused, "Somewhat unreasonable in the way we have treated you throughout your lifetime,"

Sakura sniffed.

"But know this." A clash of cerulean on jade. Sakura had always been good at predicting emotion. Her mother's eyes, however, she had never been able to predict properly. "We only did that because we loved you and felt it was protecting you." Before her daughter could comment back, she silenced her with a kiss to the forehead.

"But that doesn't answer my-"

"All questions will be answered in time. Before I go to Osaka this evening, we are having a visitor. Until then, just try to forget about it."

And then she was taken in to another hug. Sakura didn't return it, however. Her mind swirled with thoughts and theories that she was too afraid to voice. Her lungs filled, then emptied - trying to calm her senses.

Her mother returned to the house so that only Sakura remained. Playing with the dress that Sasuke's mother had given her idly, she sighed and started to swing.

* * *

"MUNE NI YADORU ATSUKI SUISEI WA HAJIMARI NO KO DOU HE-"

Sakura's eyes flashed as she dove under the covers for her phone. Why it was in her bed exactly, Sakura couldn't remember, but she decided that she would have to change her ringtone. This one only brought back bad memories.

"FURUERU YUBI NIGIRISHIMETE SHIZUKA NI-"

She grasped it in her hands. "Who could it be, who could it be..." She sung to herself as she flicked the lid open.

She gulped.

Tenten.

"...I can be brave later." Sakura told herself and pressed the ignore button - only to feel guilty about it later. It might have been important... but she didn't call back. And she was going to see her tonight anyway! No harm done...

She just didn't feel she could handle Tenten at that moment. It was a lazy time for Sakura. It was one of those times that Sakura locked her door from everyone and lay on her bed in her underwear and a pair of thigh length stripy socks.

She hugged her pillow tightly and closed her eyes. The curtains were drawn and she was four floors up. From her bed, all she could see was the sky above.

She checked her watch. 2 o' clock. Her mother was set to leave in a few hours, and apparently they had some sort of 'previous engagement' with a mystery person that somehow concerned her? What, could this person answer all her questions or something? Fat chance.

But she hadn't been called downstairs for the meeting, so she didn't have anything to do.

**Why don't we do something fun?** The voice in her head cooed. **It's Sakura time, remember?**

_Okay, so what do you suggest?_

**Why don't we... measure your chest? We haven't done that in a while.**

_  
You said something FUN, not something DEPRESSING._

**Okay, okay... We could dance?**

_Nah._

**...Sing?**

_The piano is downstairs, and rule no.1 of Haruno Sakura lazy time __clearly__ states that you must be in your underwear at all times. Not happening._

**We can sing without the piano!**

_Yeah... but..._

Sakura sighed. Weekends were so boring! She wanted to go to school! As Sakura saw it, there was no point in remaining here any further, so she slipped on her dressing robe and proceeded downstairs to her closet.

It was irritating having a closet that was on the ground floor whilst she was four floors up, but it was the only free space big enough for her clothes. Sakura had made a point when she was younger that if she couldn't go out of the house, she at least wanted the most splendid wardrobe that was possible.

Now that she thought back on it, she had been an awfully spoilt child.

Tenten's closet wasn't as big as hers - she knew. And Sasuke only had a wooden wardrobe in his room. A large wardrobe, yet, but a wardrobe nonetheless. She guessed that Sasuke wasn't as picky about clothes as she was.

She wasn't picky. She just liked luxuries, is all. Her parents let her spend that money. Why settle for silver when you can get-

_Oh my god, I really am spoilt._

She pushed open the doors to her closet and picked out the most 'humble' attire she could find. She frowned. She only had designer names - this sucked. She pouted as she pulled on a plain t-shirt and a the oldest, baggiest jeans she could find. She forcefully sped past her jewelry box angrily.

But she had a strong feeling that she'd give in and change to something nicer when she was going out.

"...Sakura?" She heard a voice as she shuffled across the hallway. Her mother was standing by the door with another very beautiful woman with blonde hair and a green jacket.

"Tsunade-sama?" Sakura gasped, walking over. "What are you doing here...?"

"Sakura, honey," Her mother continued, managing a nervous laugh, "Um, what are you wearing, sweetie?"

Sakura crossed her arms, "I'm going for a 'modest' look."

"Honey, you look like a hobo."

"Perfect!" Sakura squealed, hugging her mom. "It was kind of what I was going for! I don't look like a spoilt brat or anything now, do I?" She looked down at herself in glee. Tsunade and her mother only looked at each other.

* * *

Apparently today was 'Get Sakura Confused day.'

The petite girl was sat in her mother's office, but instead of watching her mother fumble about with her pens, she was looking at her principal.

And her principal was carrying a large briefcase that she had now set on the table and was in the process of opening it. A final click and it fell open. Sakura peered inside curiously, but was disappointed to see that it was full of pieces of paper and files and not super spy equipment or bags of money.

Sakura had a big imagination, okay?

Flicking through the files and pursing her lips, Tsunade finally came to what she wanted, and pulled out a CD. She handed it to Sakura's mother before leaning on the desk and looking at her. "So, Sakura-kun. How're you feeling?"

**CONFUSED, MAYBE?**

"A little unsure." She answered, stuttering a bit.

Tsunade nodded. "No need to feel unsure. I heard about what happened yesterday and I just want to run a few tests. Here, have a mint."

**TESTS?? I AM NOT A GUINEA PIG!**

"Tests, Tsunade-sama??" She asked, taking the mint out of Tsunade's hand and chewing it slowly. It tasted an odd mix between sugar-sweet and bitter, but was sort of enjoyable. She sucked on it quite happily whilst listening to her teacher speak.

"Nothing big. I used to be a doctor, you know. I know my fair share of psychology. Oh, you'll be needing these." She handed Sakura a pair of glasses. One lens was orange, and the other was lime green. Sakura looked at them, trying to figure them out. "It'll help you see the details of the image you're about to see. Don't put them on yet."

The lights were dimmed and the projector that hung from the ceiling of the office was turned on. Immediately, it flicked to an image of two men standing against a brick wall. One had a mop of brown hair and was smiling broadly. The other was very tall and his eyes were hidden by his bangs.

"The image before you is one of two young men, I'm sure you can tell," Tsunade drummed her fingers on the table. "Put the glasses on and tell me if you see any differences."

Doing what she was told, Sakura slid them past her hair and blinked. She could feel her eyes straining, but could more or less see as clearly as she could with out them. Looking up at the image again, she couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.

"Take your time. Really look at the image."

She squinted her eyes for a change, but she simply couldn't see one. "Tsunade, I-" _No, wait_. She thought to herself. She narrowed her eyes even more to the point where they were only two tiny crescents. A dot had appeared on both men's foreheads and was spreading slowly... It was traveling faintly around the outline of their body and encasing them. The smiling brunette's was red, and the dark man's was grey. She stared more at the dark haired man until all she could see was him. Her eyes wouldn't move elsewhere. The room seemed to turn cold. Sakura's breath quickened until-

"Sakura!" Her mother dashed to her side where she had tipped backwards out of her chair. Sakura stared at the ceiling blankly, panting. Sweat was rolling down her brow and the glasses were askew in her hair. "Are you okay, darling?"

"Do you feel you can continue, Sakura-kun?" She heard Tsunade's low voice speak.

Sakura clambered up slowly and sat herself back in the seat, holding the glasses meekly in her hands. Her eyes were swimming with tears, but she dare not cry. "Y-yeah. Go ahead."

Tsunade nodded and took a pen out of her pocket and started scribbling furiously on a clipboard. She observed the girl for a second, chewing the lid of the pen. It was a minute before she spoke again. "Did you see any changes to the image at all?"

"Y-Yes." Sakura said, breathlessly, clinging to the desk. Her mother rubbed her shoulder reassuringly. "When I looked really hard, there was a sort of aura in the picture. There were two, actually. One surrounding each man."

Tsunade nodded and wrote something down. Sakura looked up to her mother quickly. She was biting her lip and her eyes flickered weakly up and down.

"Sakura," Tsunade spoke again. "Describe these 'auras' for me, will you?"

"Um, yes, Tsunade-sama." Sakura cleared her throat a little, rubbing her eyes. "It kind of started off as a spot but grew until they were around both the men. O-Oh, the shorter man's was bright red and the taller man's was very grey."

"I see." Tsunade said, but she didn't write anything on her clipboard this time. She set in on the floor and laced her fingers in front of her, leaning forward and looking deep in to Sakura's eyes. Sakura swallowed. "Sakura, did you feel drawn in by the image at all?"

Sakura sniffed, wiping her eyes. The salty tears were stinging her. "Yes, Tsunade-sama. Very much so."

"Were you drawn by the man on the left, or the one on the right?"

"The man on the left, Tsunade." She coughed slightly, rubbing her head where it had hit the ground. "The room turned a little cold and when I looked even closer, it was even hard to breathe."

The blonde woman hummed in response, spinning about in the chair so that she was hidden behind it.

Sakura waited a little while before asking, "Tsunade-sama, what does this test prove? I mean, what is it testing?"

But Tsunade didn't answer. Her mother patted her shoulder slightly before saying softly, "Just think of it as an IQ test, dear."

"Yes," Tsunade spoke finally, standing up and pressing a button on a remote. The projector retreated in to the ceiling and the lights switched back on. "Now, Sakura, if you would be so kind to leave the room? I have things to discuss with your mother."

"Oh, y-yes." Sakura stood up and bowed slightly. "It was very nice to see you, Tsunade-sama."

And with that, she scuttled quickly out of the room and closed the door behind her. When she was outside, she stamped on the floor - a stamp that eventually died down - mimicking Sakura walking down the corridor away from the room. With that, she pressed her ear against the door and tried her best to listen in.

It was hard to hear, but she could just about catch the gist of it.

"What does this mean, Tsunade?" She heard her own mother speak. She sounded worried.

The sound of Tsunade pacing across the width of the room. "It means, Mizu, that our fears have been confirmed. You were right to call me when you did."

_Fears have been confirmed? What does that mean?_ Sakura silenced as gasped and ran sweaty fingertips down the doorframe. It was just an IQ test right? She knew she wasn't dumb. Her score couldn't have been _that _bad... She swallowed again. She could still taste the mint's bitter aftertaste against her pallet.

"These scores are off the chart..." Tsunade continued, still walking. There was a part that Sakura couldn't quite make out and then, "...Since Minato himself..."

Who was Minato? And what did Tsunade say before that?

"It's almost as if..." Tsunade paused. "History is repeating itself. It's unavoidable. Soon enough, Mizu, someone is going to slip up, and then-" Tsunade wrenched the door to the room open, ready to roar.

No one was there.

* * *

...

This chapter was so hard to write! Sorry if it was so boring… and so long! That's all I really have to say... Other than I'm back to school now!! WAH!! Updates might be a bit slow... sorry!

Review please!!


	11. What Not To Do In Neji's Presence

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I do own the Indigo Café though D -is desperate-

* * *

**We Were Made To Be**

**Chapter Eleven**

**What Not To Do In Neji's Presence**

Sakura was once again sitting within the Uchiha limo, in which Sasuke was also seated.

Sakura had pondered and pondered until her brain hurt about the test that had happened beforehand. She had a funny feeling that those glasses and the fall had screwed up her eyes or something, because large blobs of colour sometimes scattered on to her vision. It gave her painful headaches.

But now, her mind was over that. She was pleased with herself for Sakura had done the right thing in getting changed in to more formal clothes, because Sasuke too had changed from the black sweater he bore this morning. Now, a trendy blue silken shirt and black jacket covered his arms.

Sakura was still looking over her red halter-minidress with jeans and wondered if she had overused the colour red or not.

Okay, so she had a matching red ribbon too... okay, okay, AND matching pumps... but co-ordination counts! It was one of the twelve rules of Proper Dress that her mother had so painstakingly revised with her.

Sasuke had even said, 'You look nice' when she walked out to greet him.

It was spoken in monotones, of course, and she was pretty sure that he was playing the part of the gentleman to prove his brother wrong... but still. It's a big deal when Uchiha Sasuke compliments you...

It really was - even if he does have outrageous chicken hair.

As a precaution, she let down her hair and played with it until it was not too flat and not too rebellious. Just right. She gave a satisfied giggle and turned to converse with Sasuke again, as she liked to do. Sasuke, surprisingly enough, did not like to talk to the peppy pink-haired girl. It annoyed him and her bright pink hair was very off-putting. How could you look away from her when her hair is so freaking vivid? It just draws you in like a child to candy.

But then again, it might not have anything to do with her hair at all. Sasuke was 'orally challenged,' as Itachi put it. And whenever he didn't want to speak, he had a habit of spilling everything in an act of 'verbal diarrhea.' This was, yet again, one of Itachi's creations.

The mere mention of this expression was enough to shut Sakura up for at least half an hour. Sasuke hid a smirk behind his closed eyes. He should say it more often. It would be stealing from his brother. Even more the reason to use it!

"Sasuke-kun, tell me!" Sakura leant forward cheerily. He opened a single eyelid, looking down on her. "What's this Indigo place like? I've never been to anywhere but _Haruno's_..."

Sasuke grumbled and crunched his eyes shut again. "You'll see when you get there!"

"...Tired, Sasuke-kun?"

"No!" He said, snappily. Sakura blushed an odd plum colour and looked tactfully out of the window.

Sasuke pretended not to care, but feebly apologized through grumbling a few minutes afterwards. He had to play this gentleman card if he was ever to prove Itachi wrong, and Itachi would know if he had played the part or not. As far as Sasuke was concerned, Itachi had eyes everywhere.

He never thought that _Itachi _of all people would have been the first to find out when he got his... unmentionable... caught in the zipper in the boy's changing-room after swim practice when he was twelve. He was _sure _that no one had seen... so if Itachi could do _that_, he'd have no trouble finding this out.

"Just be careful, okay? I don't want to have to go through all that again."

Sakura looked back at him, smiling.

Sasuke blinked. She wasn't wearing a ridiculous grin or even an annoying pout. It was almost if... she was about to burst in to tears. Sasuke began to open his mouth to speak, but she silenced him.

Her seatbelt was unbuckled and she had wobbled over to the other side of the limo where Sasuke was sitting, wrapping her arms around his middle and pulling herself towards his stomach muscles. Sasuke looked down, mouth still open, staring blankly at the top of her head. She was so close. He could almost count the hairs flowing down her neck. He could feel her chest rise and fall with every puff of breath. Wait, he inwardly pummeled himself. He could feel her chest-

"S-Sakura, you're heavy." He cleared his throat loudly.

And she lifted herself back up and clipped her belt shut again, humming as if nothing at happened. Sasuke sat still for a while before opening the window grouchily, fanning his face. Looking over to Sakura, he could see that she also had a red face… Stupid faulty air-conditioning…

* * *

"...Sasuke-kun, I can't do it. I'm scared."

He rolled his eyes. This was _exactly _what he needed. "Don't be."

"What if they attack me when I enter the door? You said it yourself..." She sung. "I don't do well under stress..."

"They wont attack you." He said irritably, ignoring the last statement. "They don't know you're coming. You owe me again by the way," He pointed out, folding his arms cockily. "The morons are probably going to whittle up some sick fantasy reason why I brought you with me and-" He droned off, forcing his hands in to his pockets grumpily.

Sakura gave a nervous laugh. "How about this then?" She whispered something in to his ear, trying to ignore the bitter look that spawned from it.

"What exactly will this achieve, other than making me look like a moron?"

"J-Just try it!

Sasuke walked in, ruffling his jacket in the newfound heat. The room was obviously coloured a dark blue with lots of tables scattered about the oak paneled floor. Each table had a single purple candle burning in the middle of it and the whole café was lit along the walls with blue-coloured lights. The room was very dim, but it was full of people. All the tables were full.

"Oi, jerk!"

Sasuke turned to see the five figures sitting against the wall on a curved bench seat. It stretched along the wall and out at the sides in a horseshoe shape. Sasuke walked towards the table where Naruto was waving overly-largely at him... what did he think he was? Blind? _Moron_.

Neji, Tenten, Hinata, Naruto and Kiba were already sitting around the table. It looked as if they had just arrived, because they hadn't ordered drinks yet. Sasuke eyed the seat. It was already pretty full, and didn't look as if-

"So, bastard!" Naruto punched the taller boy's arm jokingly. "You came after all! You managed to find a spot in your weird rituals for-" But Naruto stopped.

Sasuke's coat had just sneezed… a very high-pitched sneeze, in fact. Sasuke's expression didn't change, but he crossed his arms across his chest and tapped his foot impatiently.

Apparently no one had caught a glimpse of Sasuke's back to see that he had morphed in to the a hunchback overnight. There was a large bulge under Sasuke's long winter coat starting at the base of his neck and ending a few feet down. The whole table was now on its feet looking on, confused.

It moved. Hinata shrieked and bounced towards Naruto. The lump made a sniffling noise and a pair of legs pushed down from each side. Naruto cocked his head to the side in bewilderment. Even Neji looked somewhat shocked... but he pretended not to.

"Coming out yet?" Sasuke asked drearily, examining the expensive looking watch on his wrist.

Finally, the legs hopped down to the floor, landing with a tap, and out from the remaining bulk crawled Sakura. She sniffed, rubbing her nose sleepily. "Sasuke-kun, I think I'm allergic to the soap or cologne or whatever on you... or something. It's made me all tired..." But this was the least of her worries as she looked up to see five confused and disturbed faces look at her.

"Surprise!" Sasuke and Sakura both said in unison. Sakura's call was complete with jazz hands. Sasuke's was just a drone with him looking the other way, uninterested.

Tenten raised a finger. Sakura watched curiously as she filled her lungs with air and let out the loudest scream- She couldn't even describe it. She only flinched and blinked silently. The whole café did the same.

"I think I've lost sight in my left eye." Sasuke said, plainly, ignorant to the fact that now Tenten had lifted Sakura off the ground and was spinning her around in a mighty bear hug. Naruto and Kiba still looked too shocked to even mimic this act.

"OHHHHMYYYYGOOODDDD," Tenten screamed before putting her friend in to a headlock and furiously rubbing her skull with her knuckle. "IF YOU EVER, **EVER**, RUN AWAY AGAIN WITHOUT BRINGING ME ALONG WITH YOU-"

"Ow!! TENTEN!"

"IT'S CALLED A NOOGIE, SAKURA," The bun haired girl screeched in reply. "AND I SUGGEST YOU GET USED TO IT."

"Excuse me," Said a new voice. An angry looking waitress in her thirties had bustled over to the table. She had long, curly brown hair down her back and looked like she had eaten one too many velvet cakes. "Do you have a reason to be screaming like- like a herd of animals??"

The whole table except Sakura pointed towards the tall, raven-haired boy and said simply "Uchiha Sasuke." Sasuke had not realised this, because he was now patting the side of his head harshly as if to push water out of his ears. Tenten's scream had been too high frequency for him, apparently.

The waitress opened her mouth to argue, but rethought it over and closed it again. She ran her eyes over the seven of them and then stalking away with her chin in the air.

* * *

"Did you hear her?" Kiba complained, stirring his tall glass of Mountain Dew heatedly. "A 'herd' she called us! I do not approve. We are a pack or a pride or something, but most definitely not a _herd_." He said it as if it was the devil's name or something, shuddering in disgust. "Fat bitch."

No one answered him. Tenten was too busy clinging on to Sakura's arm to see that she wouldn't escape again. Sakura was talking to Hinata. Naruto was trying to get Sakura's attention and Neji and Sasuke were trying their best to look bored without people noticing their efforts.

"This is boring!" Naruto announced as everyone else was drinking sodas and alcohol-free cocktails. Sakura narrowed her eyes at him and Neji full on groaned. They were going to make him do something 'FUN,' he KNEW it. "Let's play a game!"

The sound of palm on face resounded throughout the restaurant. Tenten, who was seated next to the tall boy, scooted away towards her pink-haired friend.

"Let's..." The blonde continued, pawing his face lightly for ideas. "Let's have a staring contest!"

"Yeah!" Kiba threw his arms up with Naruto. Hinata giggled and meekly raised her arms slightly, flushing. She had apparently gotten over her fear of Naruto by this point. As long as he didn't propose to her again, she was good. She was still a little iffy on physical contact as well, Sakura deduced after seeing her face after Sasuke had ordered them all to budge over.

Sasuke wrinkled his nose and set his well-crafted cheek on his hand. "Because _that's _fun."

"Shut up, Sasuke."

"Yeah. You can't play anyway. You glare too much to be able to play."

"Besides! We can't do your idea of fun." Kiba snapped, sourly.

"Yeah! Not a lot of people enjoy sacrificing small dogs at the full moon!"

Sasuke's frown only deepened. Hinata gasped and clasped her hands over her mouth. "Th-Those poor puppies!" She whispered before shuddering. Naruto hesitated before patting her shoulder carefully. For the next minute she held Sakura's reassuring hand from under the table, shivering slightly. Sakura coughed and made a mental note to not use gruesome imagery in front of Hinata.

A pause.

"Um, N-Neji!" Tenten said hurriedly, breaking the silence, laughing anxiously. "How about I go against you? You know? Staring contest...?"

He raised an eyebrow and drank some more of his soda in the most stoic manner possibly. "Hmph." He folded his arms. "You'd just using it as an excuse to look at me for a long period of time."

The red palm mark across Neji's brow just got darker. Sasuke was now very uncomfortable seeing as Tenten had just run her angry fist in to Neji's head, leaving him to fire backwards and land on the unlucky person who was sitting on his other side.

This, as luck just happened to have it, was Sasuke.

He gave an almighty growl and shoved Neji back, adjusting his jacket angrily. "I don't approve of this seating arrangement."

"Tough." Kiba sneered, taking a potato chip from the tray in the middle of the table. "I, for one, think that it works perfectly. You're both tall, dark and bastardly."

Both boys growled and attempted to kick him under the table. Tenten suddenly shrieked loudly... Let's just say they missed and Neji's earlobe would never be the same again. Tenten was fuming with rage by this point, glaring in to Neji's glazed eyes. He looked back coolly, slurping through a straw. It was almost as if he couldn't feel the pain she had inflicted on his face.

"Give up?" He drawled, drumming his fingers broadly on the table.

"N-No!!" Tenten roared forcefully, twisting her face in to a grimace until-

Blink.

She collapsed on to Sakura, moaning in defeat. Sakura wasn't too bothered though. She was now staring quite happily at Hinata who was, conversely, struggling. Hinata and Neji might have been related, but she hadn't had the glaring training that Neji had gone through. They had already gone through 3 battles and Sakura hadn't blinked once - not even in the spaces in between. Every time Hinata would break and slam her eyes shut, the boys to her left would roar in approval and congratulate the girls in there efforts.

Sakura was starting to suspect the waitress of spiking Naruto's drink, because he seemed to get more and more high every time he sipped his cola. He was hiccupping and everything, which resulted in a group war against hiccups.

"Try holding your breath until you fall unconscious!" Sasuke said in mock-happiness. It must have been one of the few times that Sakura had seen a genuine looking smile on his face that wasn't some sort of snaky smirk.

Naruto threw cold looks at him for his suggestion and turned to little Hinata for hers. "Try d-drinking seven sips of water, Naruto-kun..." She prodded her fingers together timidly. Naruto did so and paused a second. Everyone leaned in, only to recoil when a particularly monstrous hiccup came. "S-Sorry..." She stuttered afterwards, looking heart-broken.

"N-No! Hinata! Don't be-"

Naruto felt the atmosphere go cold when glossy tears appeared on her eyelids. Twitching, he turned round to see a shadowy Neji cracking his knuckles and giving a haunted glower.

"N-Neji, I-"

"You made Miss. Hinata cry."

"N-Now for the final stare-off!! S-Sakura-chan vs. Shadow king!"

"Oi, oi, Naruto. I thought that Sasuke was 'Shadow King!'"

"No, no… wait... was Sasuke-bastard the Shadow King? I thought he was the Princess of Darkness... We really have to write this stuff down..."

Sasuke snarled.

"This is stupid." Neji said, as he watched Sakura, huffing. "But, Sakura, I'll have you know that I have no intention of losing." Sakura only smiled back and stared even more intently in to his white eyes.

_This guy sure is a mystery,_ she thought, sighing in to her hands. _I think I understand Sasuke more than I do him! One moment he's being mocking and teasing Tenten, purposely getting smacked, and the next he's all vengeful... And why does he talk so politely to his cousin? I know he's a gentleman, but "Miss Hinata?"_

A minute passed and both Neji and Sakura's eyes were starting to prickle. Sakura snickered and leant in closer. Neji did the same - narrowing his eyes even more. He could see the tears developing. She watched as his became glassy. All this not blinking was affecting her eyes... she could see colors engulf Neji's face. A pale misty green-

"Sakura!"

Sakura had shot backwards, ricocheting in to the cushioned backing of the sofa. It took a second for her to realize what was happening, but when she did snap back she looked around hurriedly. Tenten was practically on her lap, slapping her face gently. Hinata was quivering again and had backed in to Naruto - he, who was gripping Sakura's left hand tensely. She sighed and took her hand back from Naruto, chuckling anxiously.

"Ahaha..." She giggled unsurely. "I guess I got too in to that..."

But looking at Neji, he looked confused and even furious. "Sakura, a word, if you please." He growled, as if trying to contain something within him as he stood. Sakura suspiciously followed but keeled back as soon as she got within a meter of him. He snatched her wrist and dragged her to the deserted corridor that led to the kitchens. He forcefully pushed her in against a wall, standing before her.

"Neji!" Sakura tore her arm out of his grasp, rubbing it softly. The intensity emitted from the boy didn't cease though - in fact it tensed as he gripped her shoulders tight. Sakura blushed out of anger and frowned back. "What the hell?"

"From left and right, through thick and thin, as the colour black fades to grey we will remain to paint the world white." He recited slowly, not loosening his grip.

"W-What??"

Neji paused for a second, his face falling again. He repeated the statement, but let go as she shook her head in distrust. "Nothing," He growled, turning to walk back to the table again. "I forgot, you're not in my English class - so it doesn't matter. Just forget it."

Sakura frowned and pointed an accusing finger in his direction. "You're lying, Hyuuga Neji! You're lying!"

Yet he didn't even acknowledge this statement by looking at her.

Sakura waited a few minutes before returning to the table, both shaken and stirred. Neji was already seated again with an expression that denied anything that just happened between them. Sakura frowned again before shuffling past Kiba and Naruto and landing on the seat with a 'plunk.' She glared at her pale comrade and wiggled out of the arm that Tenten tried to thread through her own.

**  
Honestly. If Sasuke isn't making us mad, then this guy is.**

"S-so, Neji," Tenten waved her hands in front of his face. He looked at her uninterestedly. "What did you have to say to Sakura, anyway? Cause you were gone for a little while..."

Neji paused and then grinned. "Why? Are you jealous?"

_Crack_.

Tenten watched happily a short streak of blood ran from her comrade's nose. Hinata screamed and hid her face in Naruto's orange jacket. Naruto was trying to coax Hinata out of it, whilst Kiba shouted abuse at Neji. Neji, however, didn't care, because he had been flung backwards on to an irritated looking Sasuke and was now arguing heatedly with Tenten who was wiping the blood from her knuckles.

Sakura, who happened to be in the midst of all this hurly-burly, was sparking with rage and so far only Sasuke had noticed. She bit her lip and all the muscles in her body were tense. Sasuke watched tautly as he could see her eyes become glossy and full of tears. Was she going to cry?

Oh shit, she was. She had just taken a big breath, and-

"WILL YOU ALL JUST SHUT UP?" She roared, bringing her palms on to the table with a potent smack. It creaked uneasily and looked as if it was going to double over any second. All the drinks had been spilled and two glasses smashed entirely. "YOU'RE ALL SO FREAKING NOISY, SHAAANNAROOO!!"

She stomped her feet on the ground in rage before gradually calming down. Large pants of fury became heavy breathing and then just sniffs of irritation. The whole restaurant was looked at her confusedly. Tenten had leaned away from her in to Neji's stomach but he too was two shocked to comment on this. Hinata was looking up to her, tears falling from her eyes. Naruto's bright orange shirt was stained with tears.

Sasuke, however, didn't look too impressed. Neji was still balancing on his head from before. He sighed before saying, "Well, I have quite effectively wasted..." He checked his watch again, "73 minutes of my life. Thanks a lot. Let's go, Sakura."

"Gladly." Sakura growled, jumping on to the table and hopping off again. Sasuke slipped from under Neji, causing both him and Tenten to fall on to the cushioned seat. Sakura, still red in the face with pure anger, snatched Sasuke's arm in one hand and her unfinished milkshake in the other. With that, she stomped furiously out of the building, dragging an indifferent looking Sasuke behind her.

* * *

Though Sakura couldn't say that the last incident hadn't irritated her enough to spoil the outing completely, she supposed it had been sort of fun. She had enjoyed it, but now she walked next to Sasuke, frowning, her hands still crushing down on his wrist.

Sasuke observed her carefully. She looked even more ill tempered than he did - she didn't look this angry even when they had fought. This was serious, but Sasuke knew better. He was not an Itachi, and he was not going to twist himself in to other people's business.

He hadn't seen what had happened in that corridor that was out of view, but it didn't concern him. Neji wouldn't have tried to do anything disgraceful - he was too noble for that. It wasn't in his character, plus Sakura would have screamed or made herself known or something. No way she would allow that. He mumbled again. He was concerning himself in it all again... though, if she talked, as she so loved to do, she might calm herself down.

Ow. She was really hurting him now. He did a un-Uchiha-like flinch and tried to twist his hand out of his wrist. It didn't budge. Sasuke mumbled to himself about 'Stupidity,' 'Itachi,' and 'How he could be eating tomatoes.' Well, talking could be risky... It was worth a shot, but it was certainly **not **worth his arm.

"You doing okay?" He murmured, only barely audible - half hoping that Sakura hadn't heard.

He didn't flinch again when she shot a vengeful stare at him before huffing.

"...No, then?"

"What gave you that idea?" She snapped and threw his arm down before folding her own across her chest. The colour from her face had not faded still. Sasuke saw this as a good time to roll his eyes and discreetly nurse his arm better under his coat.

"Sakura, you're acting like Naruto."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She spat.

He watched her, frustration growing on his brow. "It means that you're acting like you have the mental tendencies of a four-year-old and have swallowed one too many Prozac tablets along the way. Now are you going to listen to me or not?"

She mimicked him childishly using her hands as mouths - flicking her long pink hair out of her face. It seemed to glow red like she did, until Sasuke realized that it was the neon sign next to them. He cursed himself for getting in to something so troublesome, and now he was going insane.

"Sakura, you freaked out a little back there..." He started, more calmly. A different approach might work, he had thought. "I know you don't like loud noises, but that was overkill..."

Sakura only watched him irately. Although he did see her eyes soften slightly... "How do you know I don't like loud noises anyway, _Sasuke-kun_."

"It's obvious, Sakura. It's one of the few obvious things about you."

Sasuke walked on, wondering if he had said too much, because Sakura had now begun to suck her knuckle carefully - a sign that she was in deep thought. Sasuke was somewhat relieved to see her face return to its usual colour, but her cheeks were unnaturally rosy. Sasuke blew this off quickly, thinking that it was make-up as it was bound to be.

And for a while she was silent. They walked down the street and out of the courtyard. He saw her hesitate a bit when she saw the fountain in the market square where he had made her sit after... he didn't want to speak of it. He shook it from his memory.

Only when the Uchiha limo slowly moved in to sight at the end of the street did she speak.

"Thank you for bringing me, Sasuke." Sakura said from his side. He looked down on her again, only to see that sincere face that he was so... He couldn't say anything against it... He couldn't bring himself to do it. She gripped his arm out of gratitude and sauntered off towards the limo again, leaving the Uchiha to his inward ranting and confusion. He was sure that she had done that to annoy him - _he was sure of it_. Stupid girl and her stupid hormones... Wait a minute, what was he thinking. He slapped his cheek grumpily for good measure before trailing after her.

But Sasuke was pleased with himself. He had done what he said he would do. He was somewhat polite, and had acted like a gentleman, just like Itachi said he couldn't do. Hah. Uchiha Sasuke - defying logic and kicking ass.

The journey back was pretty nice in Sakura's opinion. Talking to Sasuke helped get her mind of Neji, and she was grateful to Sasuke for it... although she wasn't going to admit it. She already owed him so much already - it would be okay to let this one slide, at least.

"So, Sasuke-kun, what _is _that stuff you're wearing? Is it light cologne or not?" Sakura asked happily, gripping Sasuke's winter coat that she liked so much around her shoulders. It had been a fight to get her to wear it. ("Sasuke-kun, are you sure? Are you really, really sure??") She eventually agreed to take it.

So what? She didn't like to admit that her skin was sensitive in the cold. Plus, Sasuke's coat was really nice. It was soft and warm and Sakura was tempted to just fall asleep under it. Also the fact that Sasuke told her that last time she wore it, it 'smelt of girl' was a nice thing to know.

"Haruno, stop with the small talk, okay?"

She pouted. He raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Oh nothing," She cooed, sweetly, bringing the jacket closer in to her. "It's just that I'm disappointed. You've been calling me 'Sakura' all night, and it was so nice... but now I'm 'Haruno' again, huh?"

Sasuke folded his arms and 'Hn-ed' in response and decided not to answer the question. Instead, he switched the topic to that of, "And I don't wear cologne. It's soap. Unlike Naruto, I actually take baths and don't need _man-perfume _to make me smell good."

The streetlights flashed past the window quickly, illuminating her giggling face. Sasuke sighed and started to curse himself under his breath again. He had willingly taken this girl somewhere just so he could prove his jerk of a brother wrong. He really deserved to be slapped.

"...Sasuke-kun, did you just slap yourself?"

Sasuke grunted and directed his eyes in to the obscurity that was the darkness behind them.

Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura were obviously very different. Even the inner workings of their mind were not the same.

Sakura was always so bored during the night, though. It was when she had to calm down and she was no longer allowed to bother the housemaids who were dismissed to their quarters after 8:00pm. The morning was much nicer, even if getting up was a pain in the neck. It was the mark of a new day and an excuse… an excuse to run outside barefoot and topple in to a garden of flowers.

Instead, Sasuke loved the night... as much as he could possibly allow himself to 'love' something. It was quiet and tranquil. And he could drift in to a well-needed sleep as drowsiness took him in its arms and wrapped him in a velvet blanket... That was probably the gayest thing he had ever thought. He shuddered, trying to dispel it from his brain.

"Sasuke-kun?"

He frowned in to her small doll-like face. Her face had that stupid 'I'm so innocent, I'm going to ask you to do something' smile on. What's more, her hands were clasped under her chin. His anger faded as the car swerved in to Haruno drive.

He managed to delay his answer as long as he could, but by this time they had exited the car in front of the front door. "What?" He asked, finally.

Her face beamed. He groaned as she opened her mouth to speak. Her eyes were big and lovingly looking at him. He didn't like this. She was going to make him do something... "Sasuke..." She started, lacing her hands behind her back, kicking the limo door shut.

He winced. _Here it comes..._ He thought.

She gave an anxious chuckle that faded softly in to nothingness. "Well... Do you think...?" She searched mentally, tapping her foot nervously before spurting out loudly, "CanIpleasehaveaveryreallyquickhugplease?"

Sasuke blinked. "A _hug_?"

She nodded, her eyes gleaming in the light that was protruding from between the drawn curtains of the mansion.

He folded his arms. "No." He closed his eyes, fully ignoring the way her face fell.

"But why not?" She whined. "It's no big deal! I did it before... and I said please! I even said it twice!" He shook his head in a 'final-word' kind of way that only caused her to hop up and down in rejected sourness. "But why not? Friends hug friends! Are we friends or not?? WHY NOT?"

Sasuke brought a gloved finger to his lips, pretending to think. This only made her frown even more, which he was pleased to see. It didn't take a while for him to think of the perfect rebuttal, though. "Because you're annoying."

Sakura ranted angrily to him as they walked up to the front steps. Sasuke had put his fingers in his arms. They had the door opened to them by a very confused looking Iwao who immediately shuffled off to get Sakura a mug of hot chocolate. When she came back, they were still arguing.

"Sasuke-kun, would it really be that painful to hug me?"

"Yes."

"Am I _really _that bad?"

"Yes."

"Worse than UME??"

"Yes."

"SERIOUSLY?"

"No."

Iwao turned on her heel and walked off the other way; afraid of getting tangled up in the mess that was the hormones of teenagers. And Sakura was apparently on hormone-high. She had resorted to pouting and looking at him with large doe-eyes. His eyelid twitched for a second but he eventually broke apart, finishing the notion with a loud "Hn." He paused. "Give me back my coat."

She looked down at the long coat around her. It reached her knees and hung loosely past her fingertips. Yes, it made her look even smaller than she already was, but it was comfy. Sakura gripped it around her, smirking cattily. "No hug, no coat."

"No coat, no hug." He pointed out smarmily. SHE was the one asking for something here. Unsurely, she stripped it off her shoulders and handed to him. He took it back, slung it over his shoulder and headed for the door again.

"EH?" Sakura stomped angrily around him. "You're such a liar! I hate you Sasuke-kun! If you walk out that door and leave me hug-less, I'll... I'll..."

But she didn't get a chance to finish her sentence, because the tall boy was already outside. Sakura glared at his face that was steadily disappearing behind the closing door. "Goodnight, Haruno," He sneered and closed the door before she could get a word in edgeways.

Sakura growled and gradually managed to pull it open again. By this time, Sasuke was halfway down the path. "NO GOODNIGHT TO YOU! I HOPE YOUR CHICKEN HAIR GETS LICE." She hollered after him. "AND YOU OWE ME A HUG, MISTER! A REALLY, REALLY NICE ONE!!"

* * *

After repeatedly apologizing to everything about her 'ridiculous behavior' the night before, the weight of guilt was finally lifted from Sakura's shoulders, and for the whole day Sakura was inseparable from Tenten and Hinata. If one of them had a separate lesson, the other two would have to drop her off at her room and then pick her up again at the end of it.

In fact, they were pretty much like that throughout the month of February. The month in most people's opinion was very boring. Even Tenten hardly got in trouble at all. Sasuke's suitors seemed to calm down momentarily, though he was convinced that they were going to strike back soon enough.

The most interesting thing that happened was that a rather nasty cold came in to the school and a lot of the students donned cough masks. Tenten, however, wore one for the entertainment purposes it provided. If anyone did her wrong, she's simply remove the mask and cough on the perpetrator. Her immune system had always been pretty strong, she told Sakura once.

Neji had been the most entertaining prospect; everyone was quite shocked to see. Neji, it seemed, was near terrified of germs. Sasuke found this incredibly amusing, it seemed. Neji had always been unnaturally sanitary, but after Tenten had convinced him that she had a particularly nasty virus the true nature of his dislike for bacteria came in to play. Seeing Neji being chased by Tenten was a common thing. Seeing Neji being chased by Tenten while he strings off a rather un-Hyuuga-like line of abuse, however, is extremely rare. What made it better is that Naruto had caught the whole thing on his phone.

But then, of course, Tenten actually caught the cold, ironically enough. From that day on she dedicated her school life to infecting Neji.

Neji, to everyone's delight, had a very high-pitched scream if you got him flustered enough. But to do this, you needed to corner him, add a small bun-haired girl with a bad cold and no real chance of escape. That ought to do it.

He could only really breathe safely when Tenten got so ill that she had to break her perfect attendance and take time off school.

Sakura felt sorry for Tenten, so she and Hinata teamed up to make the most dangerous looking cake ever created and took it to her after school one day. It was covered in neon green icing but Tenten thought it was perfect. It was the exact opposite of her. It looked dangerous, but actually tasted very nice. Tenten liked the satire that came with it and they all ate it happily whilst watching cheesy Baywatch reruns.

"Oh, Tenten!" Sakura said through a mouth full of cake. "You've been continuing your efforts to make Neji sick, right?"

"Sure have." Tenten smiled, sucking her fingers clean of all chocolate.

Sakura giggled and took her friend's sticky hands in her own. She sighed, happily. "Well, you'll be pleased to know that the tainted rice balls that you told Hanabi to give to him worked."

"YAY!" She squealed, hugging the two of them.

Hinata giggled a bit. "He said that he never thought you were so evil as to use his little cousin to do your dirty work for him."

Tenten shrugged and dug her hands in to the cake again. "It's his fault. Plus, no offence Hinata, but your sister is one sinister little girl. Have you seen her room? I climbed through her window to give her the rice balls, and I swear, I've been mentally disturbed ever since." She folded her arms, nodding to herself. "She and you are like me and this cake. Total opposites of each other."

And with that, Tenten shoved a handful of cake in to her mouth. Hinata blushed and poked her fingers together anxiously. "B-But that's not all that Neji-Nii-san said... But you might get angry, Tenten-ch-"

"Just tell me." Tenten chewed.

Sakura smiled as she was critically examining her nails. "He said that the only reason you wanted to get him sick was because you wanted picture him looking vulnerable in a bed."

Tenten choked and began to slam her fist against her ribs.

Other than that, nothing really happened in February, the month went pretty quickly and Sakura felt accustomed to her new school life. Sure, there were things that she didn't understand the point of at all no matter how smart she was (Such as dodge ball, school lunches and homework) but she was doing quite well.

She was doing well until about a week past the cake incident. She and Tenten were walking to the classroom until the brunette had taken her to the notice board to check times for the Martial Art club. To their surprise, they could not see the notice board because a ring of chirping girls surrounded it. Curiously, they pushed though the crowd when Sakura saw it.

It was a big sign that took up half of the notice board itself. Soon both Sakura and Tenten knew why they couldn't see the board to start with.

And Sakura felt her stomach sink to her shoes.

* * *

..

This chapter was also hard to write... but I'll be able to have fun soon enough! Look out for the next chapter, everyone! Thanks to all my reviewers and please continue to do so!!

We recently broke 50 reviews! I am so happy!! It just totally makes me squeal to know that you guys like my work... an amateur like me XD -is pathetic- Thank you for supporting my first real series. I promise you that there will be more tension soon - stuff never before seen in a high school fic! Ahaha -twirls a non-existent moustache- I've got it all planned out...

Thanks for reading my fic! Please tell me what you think of it!


	12. What Not To Say To People's Mothers

**Disclaimer:** Alas, I do not own Naruto. Excuse me whilst I go cut myself in remorse whilst listening to the Love Hina theme song.

Seriously. It's too happy. Every time I hear it I go in to fits of extreme depression D': And then I play Aluto's "Michi To You All" and it's all better.

In fact, I'm going to dedicate this little space to the awesomeness of this song. The first time I heard it, my friend Ryo played it to me. And I was just listening to it with a rather large 'D8' expression plastered on my face.

Because the lyrics are indescribable.

_Warau kao mo, okoru kao mo subete_

_Boku wo arukaseru..._

* * *

**We Were Made To Be**

**Chapter Twelve**

**What Not To Say To People's Mothers**

* * *

_It was a big sign that took up half of the notice board itself. Soon both Sakura and Tenten knew why they couldn't see the board to start with._

_And Sakura felt her stomach sink to her shoes._

"Sakura?" Tenten prodded her friend's face.

But she paid no attention to Tenten's poking. Her eyes were fixed and she was still trying to settle her stomach, which was now performing some sort of Chinese gymnastic routine inside her. Tenten propped Sakura's mouth closed. It fell open once more.

"No." Sakura stared at the poster in disbelief. It was big, it was pink and it was glaring at her. "No, no, no, no, no. I refuse to believe it, no, no, no."

* * *

_**School Spring Ball**_

_**1st of April**_

_A traditional event in the school calendar - the Spring Ball, or 'dance', is a formal occasion in which participants are to wear best clothes and behave accordingly._

_Entertainment will be provided by the school orchestra, the school choir and, by popular demand, karaoke._

_**THIS EVENT IS ONE THAT ALL STUDENTS AND TEACHERS MUST ATTEND.**_

_**All students and teachers **__are expected to attend with partners - be they from the school or not._

_A reason for absence must be presented. If not, you are to be present. Any unmarked absences will be marked tardy and punished accordingly._

_Principal Tsunade_

* * *

Sakura turned around and slid down the wall opposite, hiding her knees in her face. Tenten gave a nervous chuckle and crouched next to her.

"I am so dead. Why, Tsunade-sama? I thought you liked me."

"Don't be so negative!" Tenten chimed, trying to pull her friend's pink head up. "I've seen you dance that time with Kiba. You have nothing to worry about - you're great!"

Sakura gave an exasperated groan. "It's not about the dancing, Tenten-chan! This is just like one of those cheesy high-school romantic comedies! Everyone has to get all dressed up and dance and get..." She gulped and shivered a bit. "...Dates. I don't do dates, Tenten. I've never even had a _crush _before."

"You're overreacting."

"No, I'm not!" Sakura wrenched herself up and scuttled aimlessly down the corridor. Tenten trotted beside her, linking arms in case Sakura decided to commit suicide in this apparent fit of depression. "I've seen tons of films like this. I'm going to be that freaky girl who doesn't get asked to it... Maybe I can break my leg in a freak bowling-ball accident or something... I won't have to attend for sure!"

They opened the door to their classroom and neither the look of melancholy nor the despondent groan of sadness had disappeared from Sakura. Evidently, the expression of confusion had not left Tenten, either. The two of them sat in their places - Sakura slamming her head down with a thump. Naruto and Kiba who were already there looked at each other nervously but, for once in their lives, decided against giving their input.

Tenten spun herself round and breathed heavily. "Sakura, if you're scared of not being asked, that's not really a problem. You're really pretty, and if no one asks, then surely Lee will-"

But she decided to stop after Sakura's moan became louder. Apparently her 'pep-talk' wasn't helping things. Even Neji was forced to close the book he was reading due to the noise levels. At that moment, the two boys both shuffled their chairs towards the despairing girl.

"Take it from two guys, Sakura-chan." Naruto told her happily. "You will definitely get asked - even by guys you don't know."

"We hear things, you see." Kiba informed her. "We're not the only perverts in this school."

"Oh, I feel _so _much better." Sakura lifted her head slightly so her eyes were visible. A pair of entwined arms hid her mouth. She gave a glance of gratitude towards the two of them before looking back to her bun-haired friend. "Tenten, who do you think is going to ask you?"

"Oh, I'm already going with someone."

"What??" Sakura screeched, finally bounding up. "B-but the flyer only came out this _morning_! How did you...? Who are you going with, anyway?"

She gave a toothy grin. "This guy." Tenten tugged on Neji's collar, making him turn round in his seat. He nodded towards them, confirming it, before trying to turn his head back to his book - though Tenten's firm fist clasped on to his shirt disallowed this. "We made a deal before we started high-school - that when something like this turned up, like it was bound to do, that we'd go with each other as friends to escape embarrassment." She trailed off again on seeing Sakura's expression darken. According to Sakura's face, she was _still _not helping matters.

She fell back to her seat grumpily. "Great. Just great."

At that moment, Kakashi entered bearing a particularly large mug of coffee - followed by a disgruntled-looking Sasuke. As he made his not-so-merry way to his seat, he glanced towards Sakura who was uncharacteristically furious. Her face was as pink as her hair. He sniffed before sitting and being engaged in conversation by Naruto who sat behind him. Kiba looked on, curiously.

"Okay." Kakashi coughed. "I trust most of you have seen the announcement concerning the School Dance next month. I, myself, have already begun working on my flu." He spluttered again earning a few giggles and a torrent of raised eyebrows. "To those who have not seen it, basically on the 1st of April the entire school shall participate in a sort of ball. This ball is important, many of you know, because it marks the birthday of the school. Conversely, it is also a tribute to the Third Principal, Sarutobi-sama, who died on that day."

Sakura sat up immediately and glanced towards Sasuke. His expression had hardened a little, but it was hardly noticeable. Sakura, however, could see it in his eyes. Remembrance. Anger. Guilt. It flashed in a fiery abundance in the dark eyes of Uchiha Sasuke.

Kakashi took his seat slowly and finally, lacing his fingers in front of them and surveying them with lazy eyes. "Traditionally this 'Ball,' or whatever you want to call it, is to be attended to in a romantic fashion. So whomever you go with counts in the eyes of others," He cleared his throat as groans of irritation and giggles started through the class. Sakura rested her head in her hands as more than half of the population of her female classmates turned to Sasuke with adoration in their eyes. Sasuke, however, returned none of these. He didn't even acknowledge them with a glare of death. "Unfortunately, this little 'rule' affects the teachers as well. So, I will tell you in advance that nothing is going on between myself and whomever I go with. Is that clear, Naruto?"

Naruto swung his feet on to his desk and snickered, rocking back on his chair.

"Tsunade-sama," Kakashi continued, "Will be particularly strict about absences - considering that she is the granddaughter of the First Principal of the school and the student of the Third himself. So do not even attempt to skip the event. You will be caught and possibly eaten alive."

He took a long drink of coffee as about 20 stares of disbelief were fired his way.

* * *

"Tenten..." Sakura asked as the two of them walked down the sidewalk with their backpacks hanging off their shoulders. Tenten had bombarded Sakura's mother with calls asking if she could come over and was completely thrilled when it was deemed legitimate. They were walking through Konoha's park, a place that Sakura had recently fallen in love with. It was huge and full of trees and flowers and cobblestone paths that wound themselves around the landscape.

And what's more, it was nearing the middle of March and the cherry blossom would be in full bloom. She was going to stay there all day when they did, and drag the whole gang out with her if she could.

"Yes?" Tenten answered cutely.

"D-Do you think it's going to rain?" Sakura said nervously, pointing towards the sky. Tenten looked up. The atmosphere was overcast and there was a chilly breeze sweeping through the gardens.

Tenten petted her hair tentatively. "I wouldn't be surprised if it did. It is spring now, after all."

They continued to walk through the park. Tenten, of course, knew her way in and out of it to her house, but that didn't take away from the sheer size of the area. They were only about halfway though it when Sakura felt the first drop splatter on her nose.

"...It's raining."

"It'll clear up!" Tenten piped as optimistically as she could, trudging onwards.

But the rain did not clear up. Sakura knew that spring rain was sudden, but she never imagined this. It came down so quickly that the girls were drenched before they knew what had happened. Sprinting for shelter, they found it in a short but thick-leaved tree. It was just big enough for the two of them to curl up under it. If they had been any taller than they were, they would have had wet feet.

It was good to be short sometimes.

Sakura was under the impression that spring rain cleared up pretty quickly. This storm, however, was determined. They waited silently for about fifteen minutes but after realizing that it was not going to disappear so easily, Tenten phoned home.

She tapped her phone shut, moaning. "The housekeeper is watching the weather at home." She informed Sakura. "Apparently the storm isn't going to clear up for a bit. We could be here a while."

Sakura bit her lip and shivered. Tenten saw this and took the smaller girl in arms. Tenten looked unsurely out to the skies, and sure enough, a bolt of lightning shot down miles away from them. Sakura shrieked and hid her face as a thunderous boom sounded around them. Tenten grabbed her hand and started talking to her. She talked about anything at all - anything to get Sakura's mind off the storm. She was interrupted constantly by the thunder and lightning.

It carried for what seemed like an eternity before dying down a little. The rain was still here though.

Tenten closed her cell phone again after talking to a worried housekeeper and leant her head on Sakura's. The poor pink-haired girl was still shaking a little, and there were tears visibly rolling down her face and down her arms.

Tenten sighed. "Still afraid of loud noises?"

Sakura said nothing in response. She moved her head upwards and wiped her face with an already wet sleeve. Her hand and Tenten's were still laced together.

"At least your fear is justified." Tenten chuckled. "I'm scared of rejection, myself."

Sakura didn't stir, but she spoke up. Tenten smiled. As long as she was getting her mind off the storm, she was happy. "Tenten, you're always around Neji and you're even going to the dance with him. Why?"

...Did Tenten say that she was happy? She blushed a little and tensed her hand around Sakura's. "You haven't known him that long, Sakura. As far back as I can remember, Neji's been there. His mother and mine were friends before she... anyway." Tenten trailed off, slightly. "Some of my earliest memories are being forced on play dates with him. I really used to hate him back then... Neji's always been a bit of an ass. And ever since he met Naruto and Kiba he's been making the most disgusting wise cracks, ugh..."

Sakura managed a laugh. "You two are kind of an unlikely pair... He's so tall... and you're so..."

"_You _of all peoplehave no right to say that." Tenten poked her, teasingly. "I might be sort of on the small side, but you're four inches shorter than me. And yes, we're kind of weird, I guess. What, with cute little me and then _him_." She sneered. "I swear. He... and Sasuke, I suppose, are the most anal people I've ever met."

"But you like him?"

"He's my friend." Tenten sighed, taking out her soaked buns. A mass of long, drenched hair curled around her back. "He's always been teasing me about everything he could get at, and it always used to make me cry. But... I suppose it was Neji that made me stronger. Without him, I would never have taken up martial arts and I'd be a lot different to what I'm like now."

Sakura smiled, hugging her friend tightly. "You're really lucky, Tenten. I wish I could be as strong like you."

Tenten scoffed. "I'm not that strong."

"No, you are. And you're really lucky to have a guy like Neji too. I mean... even if you don't like him sometimes, he's always making sure that you don't get trouble. And he's always watching you."

Tenten shuffled upwards, giving a little laugh. "You can't talk, Sakura. You've got Sasuke." She watched Sakura shrug and continue. "He can be a bit of a butt-munch sometimes, and he puts you down a lot..."

_... Thanks Tenten._

"But when you really need him, he always has a way of turning up. It was Sasuke who found you in that harsh part of town, after all..."

Sakura blushed. "He told you about that?? What did he say?"

"What? He just said that he found you wandering around there. Why?"

"N-Nothing..." Sakura watched the rain gradually come through the weaker parts in the tree's canopy. "Y-You know... I used to like the rain until then. Now it just makes me upset."

"You don't need to tell me that. The rain makes me sick."

Sakura stumbled slightly as her friend took her hand from hers and fumbled with them slightly. "I always used to go dancing in the rain... but now whenever I see it I just want to go some place else." She wiped an invisible tear from her eyes and sniffed. "Because for that whole night when I was I was running about with Temari... I didn't know you very well so I had no idea where you'd go, and I don't think I've ever been so scared in my life..."

Sakura buried her face in Tenten's shirt, apologizing feebly.

"It's okay." Tenten said in a high-pitched daze. "It's not a big deal... you know..." She coaxed Sakura up again, looking in to her big, emerald eyes. "I never really thought I fit in before I met you. I mean... I always walked around pretending that I was so confident, and Neji was there with me. But never, until you showed up, have I been so... unafraid."

"Are you afraid a lot of the time, Tenten?"

"Mmm, maybe." She drummed fingers against a perfectly tanned face. "I always felt that if I anyone saw me cry, I'd be letting myself and everything I stood for down. And of course, Neji would tease me about it... But you're the only one who's ever seen me cry, Sakura..."

And for the first moment in her life, Sakura felt relief. Her beating heart eventually settled and was reduced to a steady buzz. Tenten was so beautiful in the rain.

* * *

"Hey, you two," Tenten and Sakura walked up to them the next morning arm in arm.

Naruto and Kiba gasped before latching themselves on to the pink-haired girl and lifting her from the ground. Sakura groaned and grinned sadistically at Tenten who was pushed away quite rudely. She only chuckled in response. The two had only just walked through the front doors and already these boys had some sort of scenario planned? What, did they have a written script or something?

Sakura honestly wouldn't be surprised if they did. After seeing them both hidden in a corner of the library with a copy of Kakashi's orange book, both blushing furiously, nothing could surprise her now.

Sakura knew that they weren't expecting what lay within it, even though she wasn't too sure of what was in it herself… Although the two of them were a lot quieter for the remainder of the day and still turned bright red when they saw Kakashi read the book so calmly.

"Sakura! Where were you last night?" Naruto snapped, waving his free finger at her disapprovingly.

"...At Tenten's house?" Sakura coughed simply and let herself be carried by her arms to her classroom - in which Sasuke was reading a book and surrounded by five girls. He looked about as pleased as Naruto and Kiba were, and tried to bury his face deeper in to 'Death Note' as the girls about him squealed loudly.

"Aw..." Sakura said jokingly to Tenten, who only shook her head laughing. "And I was so very much enjoying the peace and quiet we were having lately."

The girls didn't hear her comment apparently. They were too busy being compulsive.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun is a manga fan? I never knew!"

"I love manga too! It's a sign,I swear! We should go to the dance together, don't you think, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke frowned and snubbed the sniggering laughter of the two boys who sat on the desk behind them. Sakura groaned as they pulled her up to sit with them - on their laps. Tenten, who had taken over Kiba's can of soda, looked on happily. The girls had now hitched themselves on to Sasuke's back, reaching for the book with one arm and cuddling with the other. Sasuke said nothing and closed the book brusquely, tucking it inside his jacket. None of the females seemed to be brave enough to reach inside after it. He was in luck. The more daring fangirls seemed to be absent.

"Aww, Sasuke-kun!" Whined a cute brunette who looked about twelve. "Won't you let us read it?"

"Yes, Sasuke-kun! Is it a mainstream title? Won't you tell us what it's about?"

"It's about a delightful little book that can kill people." He said roughly, throwing the girls off his back and rubbing his arms with a grim expression. Sakura gave a small giggle. She never thought she'd be present to hear Uchiha Sasuke say 'Delightful.'

The girls fell back to where the three friends were seated, knocking the table back. Sakura felt her heart quicken as she felt her back slip from the boy's knees. Naruto and Kiba barely caught themselves on the desk behind them, shouting quite a colorful array of language at the girls. The girls didn't retort, though. They were more concentrated on their precious Sasuke-kun, who had turned round in his seat and clutching the hand of one Haruno Sakura. Her head was just millimeters from colliding with the desk. Sakura gulped at this distance and stood herself up again, shakily. She nodded in thanks to Sasuke who nodded back and retrieved the book from his pocket.

"The fuck was that??" The little one said, pushing a tiny fist in to Sakura's face threateningly. Sakura measured it up critically. It didn't look as if it could knock out a fly, let alone a girl who was three inches taller than her... And Sakura was not at all tall, to be frank. "You again?? Stop making moves on _my _Sasuke-chan!"

Sasuke flinched at the name she had given him. Kiba and Naruto were about to go in to a coma.

"Keep your hair on, idiots. He just caught her, is all." Tenten said from the side, before Sakura could say anything back. She cracked her knuckles tenaciously. She sniffed cockily as she observed them all again. They weren't exactly the most dangerous fangirls that you could come across. They were no Ume, at least - that was for sure. "Anyway, it's none of your business. None of you are in this class, so get out."

"You wanna bet, Bun-head?"

"Big words from someone so small, don't you think?"

"Leave it, Tenten. It's not worth it." Kiba drawled from the side. Tenten raised an eyebrow at one of the two who had been hurling abuse at these girls only moments before. "You already know you're better than them. There's no need to prove it."

At that moment, Neji walked in with his book bag slung over one shoulder. The moment he looked up from the French textbook in his hand, he frowned and massaged his temple. Tenten and a girl who was about a head shorter than her were gripping each other by the collars of their shirts, each with fists raised. Tenten's fierce expression diminished in to an innocent smile and she set the girl down again, giggling nervously and waving at him.

He pursed his lips to Tenten and turned to the other girls who were eying him unsurely. "It would be appreciated if you all left this place." He commented, flicking through a binder. "This is not your home-room and all you are doing is causing trouble."

All the girls watched Neji angrily before filing out through the door - though not without giving Tenten the stink eye. She stuck her tongue out at them all in victory, only before being grabbed by the wrist by Neji. He did not look happy.

"Now, Tenten." He sighed, drumming his fingers tetchily on his forearm. "I really thought we had made some progress here."

"Oh, shut up, Dr. Phil." Tenten attempted to poke him in the forehead, but Neji caught her hand. He adjusted the series of bandages around his head elegantly, glaring at her. Tenten huffed and sat in her seat without looking at her tall sparring partner. "But this time it wasn't my fault! She grabbed on to my shirt first!"

"And you felt the need to grab back?"

"You make it sound so disgusting!!"

Sakura watched the two of them quarrel like an old married couple for a moment before tapping Sasuke on the shoulder softly. He looked back at her with tired eyes. Sakura examined his face quickly. He had dark rings under his eyes. Had he not been sleeping?

"Thank you for catching me, Sasuke-kun." She said, smiling. "I owe you one."

But Sasuke had already turned back to his book before Sakura had even finished her sentence.

"No need to be so rude, _Sasuke-chan_..." Naruto teased, pinching Sasuke's cheek as Kiba swiped the book from his hands. Sasuke growled and leant back in his chair, running his hands through his spiky, raven hair. Sakura smiled and hopped on to her desk, but her face fell when she got a closer look at Sasuke's face. He really did look sleep-deprived. His skin was pasty - something that didn't compliment his dark hair and eyes. He looked ghoulish. God knows how he could still look semi-handsome in this state. He was holding himself pretty delicately as well.

"Sasuke-kun-" Sakura started, before she stopped as she noticed she was being ignored. Sasuke's gaze was fixed on Kiba, who was now toughly flipping through Sasuke's book.

"The hell is this?" Kiba waved it in Sasuke's face. "What - are you so stupid that you're still into picture books?"

Sasuke looked at him uncaringly and quickly took the book out of his hand before Kiba could recoil.

"Haha, want to know what else about Sasuke, Sakura-"

"Neji!" Tenten shouted, suddenly, breaking up their discussion. They watched in a mix of disbelief and hilarity as she darted around the room, shouting with her hands over her ears as Neji followed her calmly. "Stop trying to psycho-analyze me! It's really creepy!"

"I'll stop when you stop trying to use violence to compensate for the large inferiority-complex you feel due to the fact that you have no second name!"

"Gah!! Quit it!"

* * *

The days flicked by like pages to a calendar, and still Sakura had heard nothing from anyone about the dance. She was now becoming self-conscious of herself and looked in the mirror a lot more critically than she did before. She was like she always was. Skinny. She was starting to wonder if that was why she wasn't being asked - confused, because all of the magazines she awed over were full of thin women and she had secretly taken pride in the fact that she resembled them with little to no effort at all.

Instead, she was looking a lot more enviously at Tenten, who must had been at least a D cup, Sakura inspected secretly as the brunette leant over her Biology essay. She looked at her own chest and groaned, falling towards the desk with a clunk. The teacher, Anko, watched her curiously. Anko was the P.E. teacher, but she was simply filling in for Kurenai who had to make a quick errand and-

Sakura shot up. That was it! Anko-sensei! The first teacher she had ever met - the one that she had such a good feeling about. She looked back at the purple haired teacher, smiling cheekily. She remembered what Anko had said to them on her first day.

_"Just keep it cool... You'll be fine, they're gonna love you. This is one of the fickle classes, you see. They love beauty, and you've got tons of it."_

Her smile faded and she grasped on to her long hair, pulling frustrated. _THEN WHY HAS NO ONE ASKED ME YET??_

She turned about to watch Kiba and Naruto on the bench behind them. They were both murmuring silently over their essays, scribbling furiously. They themselves had said that she'd get ask.

But not even _LEE _had asked her! She was so sure... She had even heard from Kiba that someone else had asked Lee. Well, if _LEE _could get someone, then why- _Wait, that's not a nice thing to think_. Sakura scratched it from her memories.

She couldn't help feel upset though.

So she spent the majority of the lunch break being cradled under Tenten's arm as the girl attempted to cheer her up. This, per usual, didn't turn out as well as the girl intended and only really succeeded in making Sakura even more down.

"Sakura, it's still the early stages. The flier came out a week ago and a lot of guys like to bide their time on these things." She ruffled her friend's pink tresses happily, and then stuck a thumb over her shoulder to the pair of Kiba and Naruto who were, uncharacteristically, writing. P.E. and Sports Teams were about to start again for the year and they wanted to have everything out of the way so they could fully focus on their game. "Besides, these losers haven't got anyone yet either. And what about Lee-"

"Lee's got asked already." Kiba drawled through a chewed pencil.

"Really??" Tenten swung around, slamming her fists on the table. "_Our _Lee? Who asked him? Why, pigs really can- Oh, Sakura...?" She turned back to find Sakura curled up, mumbling to herself. Tenten decided to shut her mouth.

* * *

Two days had passed and now Sakura was seated in their regular table in a math class.

She had convinced herself to stop thinking about the ridiculous dance and concentrate on her studies. She didn't want to seem desperate, of course.

Kakashi, who had noticed how most of the members of their table seemed to be falling asleep, had re-arranged it. It was only expected, he had said, as it was simply unnatural for the noisiest table in the classroom to be so lifeless. At first, he had suggested that he change the seating order completely, but after seeing the glares that were sent his way from the boys, he decided against it. Apparently, he didn't know the amount of dislike that the three boys felt for a majority of their class - which, luckily enough, happened to consist mostly of Sasuke fangirls.

So instead, the sleepiest member, which was surprisingly Sasuke, was to sit next to the perkiest member, Sakura. She was to poke him if he fell asleep, or else Kakashi would bring out a bull-horn and force him awake. Naruto and Kiba sat opposite them, both struggling over their math problems. Kiba seemed to have given up completely and was pretending to care. Naruto, on the other hand, was actually giving it his best shot. It was common knowledge that Uzumaki Naruto's worst subject was indeed Math, and that he was flunking terribly. It didn't help that he always sat with people who were mathematically apt.

"Silence everyone." Kakashi said sternly, taking out his infamous orange book. "Lest you want the bull-horn to show its ugly face."

Naruto knew that he needed to do better in it or his family would cut back his ramen privileges. That was something that he couldn't allow, and so he was forced to mull over the series of fractions that were pushed in front of him. Sakura felt sorry for him as she saw his saddened face as both she and Sasuke flipped over another page of their textbook - he was still on his fourth question. Sakura tried her best to tutor him silently without Hatake-sensei making a fuss, but it was no use. It just didn't click for him.

Sasuke, who had silently forbade Sakura to poke him if he did happen to doze off slightly, was curled up over his book, shielding his answers from Naruto as he did so. Sakura however could see his book from above. She watched as he slowly scratched his answers down after a while of just dragging his pencil over his paper aimlessly. It looked as if it was taking him a while to get focused.

Sakura hadn't known Sasuke for very long, but she had never seen him be so tired. When she had stayed at his house, he was the early riser. Whenever she came in to class early, he was usually there. She had never seen him look so exhausted before. What was keeping him awake?

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto nudged her leg with his foot from under the table and hissed to her, watching Kakashi carefully. "Help me out here!"

"I can't!" She whined back, flattening herself on the table. "I've tried my best already!"

Naruto made a face. "Oh, come on! There's got to be something-"

"HAVING TROUBLE, UZUMAKI?" Said Kakashi-sensei's amplified voice from next to Naruto. Sakura had jumped about a foot in the air from the shock. Sasuke looked about ready to strangle the white haired teacher. That, or shove that bullhorn of his up his butt.

"N-No, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto laughed tensely, motioning for him to put the horn down.

Kakashi did no such thing, but he lifted up a grey eyebrow in disbelief, after taking Naruto's textbook from under him. "IT SURE DOESN'T LOOK THAT WAY. THERE'S VERY LITTLE PROGRESS HERE," He hummed, flicking through quickly, brushing off Sasuke's glowering. "YOU'RE REALLY GOING TO HAVE TO TRY HARDER IF YOU HOPE TO PASS MY CLASS."

"I _AM _trying!!" Naruto cringed at this reminder and instantly crouched over his work again, scratching furiously. Kiba sat up for a moment, to show Kakashi his progress. To Sakura's surprise, he was doing _some _of it. And he was doing it correctly, too. Kiba _could _do math. He just lacked the motivation to give half a crap about it. "When are we going to need geometry in real life, anyway?"

Kakashi didn't answer - he just hovered round the table to the remaining two members. Sakura and Sasuke both pushed their work forward so the teacher could inspect it. Whilst Kakashi did this, Sakura took up doing some inspection of her own. On Sasuke, that is. In his eyes she could see what she always saw. Melancholy, loneliness... but there was something new. An intense pain. A sense of longing. She couldn't put her finger on it.

"GOOD, YOU TWO." Kakashi passed them back their books, not noticing how Sasuke fell to the table, clutching his ears as he boomed from between them.

Sakura watched as their teacher progressed to the groups behind then, and then lowered herself down and seized her chance.

"Sasuke-kun." She shook his arm gently. He turned his head to face him, plummeting back to his arm again. He was heavy-headed? "Why are you so tired?"

He hesitated before shaking his head stiffly and rolling slowly back to his work. Sakura wasn't one to give up so easily, and she slowly creeped up to the back of him, poking his pale neck. He grunted in discomfort, but didn't look at her. She made a face before poking him again.

"Come on, Sasuke, tell me. It's obvious and I'm getting worried."

"Stop talking." He hissed back without moving. "If Kakashi hears you, he'll use that godforsaken bullhorn of his again."

She shook his arm firmly, hoping he'd realize the seriousness of the situation. She was so mad. This guy would wrestle a gun out of a man's hands but he wouldn't watch his sleep patterns? Logic, much? "Like I care! This isn't like you! You're _never _tired! Something's been keeping you awake and I want-"

"I don't care what _you _want!" He said loudly, standing up in his seat. Naruto and Kiba watched nervously - as well as the rest of the class, including Kakashi. "I just haven't been sleeping well ever since you slept in my bed, okay?" He sat down again, hiding his face from her grumpily. "Just drop it, okay? You're just trouble - a nuisance." Sasuke snarled finally and went back to his work.

And Sakura did drop it. She dropped the issue and her pencil. It clattered loudly on the floor before rattling to a halt. She didn't reach for it, nor did she move at all. For the rest of the lesson, she bit her lip and was silent. All matters of fractions and decimals had disappeared from her priorities and for the rest of the lesson she did nothing.

Even later at lunch, she was quiet. Tenten and Hinata had not let go of her arms because they felt sorry for the sadness she appeared to be feeling. She hadn't even laughed when Neji continued to analyze Tenten whilst they ate.

"You want to know why you aren't eating your celery, Tenten?"

"NO."

"It's because it, being a tall vegetable, makes you feel uncomfortable about your lack of height, and so you feel the need to make it feel bad about itself by not eating it."

"BUG OFF."

* * *

Days had past and still Sakura nor Sasuke had said a word to eachother. When they did communicate it was with a growl or a death glare and then a huff and a sulk.

Sakura didn't care why Sasuke was angry. She was mad at _him_. She knew she was prying in to his life, and she hated herself for doing it, but she felt it was for his own good. If something was hurting Sasuke, she wanted to know, and she refused to believe that it was because she had slept in his bed _over a month ago -_ and was still sore about him shouting out this fact to the entire math class - including Naruto and Kiba who he had promised not to tell. She also didn't like the way that about a dozen fangirls overheard as well.

Sakura was not an idiot, and because of that fact it was still easy for her to see that Sasuke was a nervous wreck. He didn't show it but something was troubling him. He had even taken up the bad habit of biting his nails.

Naruto and Kiba, who had read through Sasuke's 'Deathnote' manga thought that he was trying to copy the characters.

"See?" Naruto pointed out a rather maniacal looking character to Sakura. "This one, Raito, is an ass and this one," He pointed to another which had cute diluted eyes and messy hair, "Bites his nails. Coincidence? I think not."

Yet another lesson where they didn't look at eachother.

Sakura screamed in to her pillows after a long, laughless day. Tomoyo looked on tautly, before running off to make her a particularly sweet smoothie. It had been exactly seven days and still nothing. Every day since then, Sasuke seemed to grow more and more weary and it was tearing her up. Naruto and Kiba had both tried to get information out of him, but with no such luck.

And Sakura pondered this as she walked to her History lesson. He would be there, of course, which of course would not be the most pleasurable experience. And apart from him, she didn't know anyone in her the class. She had always sat with him in their double seat - even if she knew that he only wanted her to sit there so the other girls couldn't.

Ugh! She thrashed about. She was thinking about him again!! She had got to stop doing-

"Hey, Haruno." Spoke a voice.

Sakura groaned and turned about to see Ume's flaming head of hair and a few girls by her side. Sakura didn't recognise the others, apart from the pretty girl that had dubbed Kiba 'Dogbreath' before. What was her name? Piggy or something?

"What?" Sakura said, unenthusiastically. She frowned but tried her best not to show it. "For once, Ume, could you please go and purchase a life somewhere? I'm not in the mood."

She fluffed her curly red hair and grinned cattily. "What's wrong, little girl? Are you too busy moping about your loss of Sasuke?"

Sakura ignored this and kepy walking.

"Or is it because your littlebodyguard Tenten isn't here to protect you?"

Sakura stopped, clentching her hands in to fists. Her inner voice was roaring abuse at them, but she tried to center herself as best as possible. Taking a deep breath, she walked over to Ume and stood before her. "Look." She put her hand on her hip to hopefully show maturity. "I know you don't like me-"

"Well, golly be!" Ume giggled, beckoning the other girls to join in. "She does have a brain after all!"

"And I know-" Sakura persevered, pouting. "That we don't get along and I know that the fact that-"

"That what, huh?" Ume said angrily. "That you have this warped idea that Sasuke-kun likes you better than he does me? After his little display in Math, I think he made it pretty well known that he doesn't."

Sakura sniffed, stamping a single foot on the ground. "Actually, I was going to say that it was a fact that we were very different people, but if you want to bring the subject of Sasuke-kun in to this-" She stomped again, "Then I'd be more than pleased to tell you about Sasuke-kun. About how he would quite frankly like to shoot each of you fan girls and how you ANNOY him to no end."

Ume's glare intensified.

"And how," Sakura stomped in frustration, "You irritate him to the point where he is unaccepting of women any more. Thanks to you-" She pointed angrily at the hoard of girls, "He doesn't trust females because he thinks they're going to smother him like you've been doing."

"You actually think you're better than me, don't you?" Ume poked her harshly in the chest. "Don't you, chestless? Don't you?" She ran her finger to Sakura's temple. "Billboard brow??"

**  
EAT THEM. EAT THEM!!!**

"HAH." Sakura raged, making the ground under them rumble. "I KNOW I'M BETTER, UME." STOMP STOMP STOMP. Her inner voice was driving her forwards - speaking for her. "AND FOR THE RECORD, I'M NOT EVEN AFTER SASUKE-KUN. BUT HE STILL LIKES ME BETTER."

A final stomp, and Sakura could feel the brickwork crumble beneath her feet. The other girls didn't notice though - they were too busy looking appaulled. They were about to counter this attack when the loudspeaker crackled. They all looked up as the powerful voice of Tsunade filled the courtyard.

"Haruno Sakura, please report to my office immediately."

Sakura felt her heart drop. She gave them all a final glare and a victory call of "SHANNARO" before storming off so quickly that they couldn't get a snide comment in after.

Sakura had felt relieved to get all that stress and tension off her chest. Yes, she had used them as way to vent her anger from Sasuke... in fact, now that she thought of it, she was so caught in the moment that she hadn't realised that she was defending the person that she was completely irate with.

But that was behind her and she couldn't care less. Right now, she had butterflies in her stomach. What did Tsunade want to see her about? Something so urgent that it would take her out of classtime? She didn't feel as confident as she had back then.

She now knew her way about the school and as she trudged through the corridors towards the Principal office, she could feel her palms sweating. One thing Sakura hated was loud noises. Though, she was truly terrified of getting in trouble or having someone she admired being angry at her.

That was partly the reason why arguing with Sasuke hurt so much.

_  
GAH. THIS ISN'T THE TIME FOR SASUKE._

"Ah, Sakura." Shizune, Tsunade's assistant, hummed as she saw the head of pink poke nervously around the door. Her short black hair hid a telephone that was clasped to her ear. "You're being expected in Tsunade's office. If you could just wait outside... hello, Konoha Acadamy. Please hold."

Somehow, Sakura didn't feel listening to Shizune complain over the phone about paper supplies was exactly what she needed before her nerve-racking visit to the Principal's office. She rocked to and fro in the plastic chair, contemplating quietly to herself and mumbling under her breath.

_Maybe I'm overreacting. Maybe it's something good, not something bad. After all, I don't know why I'm being sent there. Just that I'm being expected._

**But surely if you're being expected, then its something that Tsunade wants to talk to you about urgently. **

_Not necessarily... But I have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach._

**Think about it. Tsunade summoned you personally. Surely if she felt the need to do that instead of just using her secretary, it must be something big. Well, whatever it is... it was nice knowing you...**

"Sakura?" Shizune said, clasping a manicured hand over the speaker of the phone. "You can go in now."

_Not cool, not cool._ _Okay, calm down. UGH. Damn my inner voice for being a pessimist!_

Sakura gulped and stood up. She felt her face turn bright red as she steadily pushed the door ajar. She could hear Tsunade's voice from inside talking to someone. Again, she peeped her head through the gap in the door. She could see Tsunade at her desk leaning to speak to what looked like three figures in three chairs. The backs of the chairs where tall and Sakura could not see who sat in them.

Shyly, Sakura closed the door behind her and tip-toed towards the desk where the blonde woman was looking at her expectantly. As soon as she reached the desk, she paid no attention to the chairs. "Tsunade, have I done something wrong?"

Tsunade said nothing, but only held a hand to the people in the chair. Sakura looked and felt all hope for return die inside her.

"Mom??" Sakura blurted out loudly. "Dad?? B-But you're supposed to be-"

Sure enough, both her parents were there and both with expressions that Sakura could not read. If her mom was here, she knew something was wrong. But her _father_, who was supposed to be in Boston on business. If he was here... Oh, she was in deep dog dirt now.

"Please take a seat, Sakura. And leave your bag by the door, there is no way that you'll be leaving here before the day is over." Tsunade said, coolly.

Sakura cringed and sat in the empty seat between her two parents. As soon as she did, they both took her hands in theirs. Her father even leant over and delieved a kiss to her cheek - something which she was not expecting at all. The last time she had seen him, she had... run. She didn't want to think about it right now.

Tsunade leaned forward on to laced fingers with an expression of deep thought on her face. "Sakura, you might be wondering why you are here, and worry not," She raised a hand to the frightened little girl who opened her mouth to confess her innocence or something similar. "You are not in any sort of trouble."

It was like a knot had just been untied in Sakura's chest. Now she could sit properly.

"Sakura," Tsunade started again, bringing her hands softly on to the table. "Have you been particularly stressed recently."

PARTICULARLY? Lets list. She was sent to school, she met her first boy, she was clinging to that same boy's arm out of fear minutes later, she made her first set of enemies, she had almost been raped, she had sent her attacker flying, she ran away, forcing her friends to stay up all night looking for her, she witnessed a murder, she was almost raped _again_, only to be saved by Sasuke-kun who made them sleep in the same room together. Meanwhile at school, she was too preoccupied with a stupid dance that you have to attend as well as arguing with Sasuke yet again.

"I guess I've been a little," Sakura admitted, softly, "I haven't really noticed."

Tsunade nodded understandingly before flattening down her hair. "Sakura, I'm afraid none of us here have been completely truthful to you lately. Do you remember when you took that IQ test?"

"Yes?"

"It wasn't an IQ test."

"...Oh."

"And when I gave you that mint?"

"Yes?"

"...It wasn't a mint."

Sakura nodded unsurely. She had thought that thing had tasted weird.

"Sakura, honey, there's something that we've been meaning to tell you for years," Her father started slowly. "And we are so sorry we didn't tell you sooner. The truth is..." He paused, biting his lip. He mouthed the words but no sound came out. Sakura strained to try and hear but to no avail.

"The truth is, Sakura," Tsunade placed a heavy head in her hand. "That you are from a biologically engineered race of - what?" Tsunade responded surprised to the glares she was recieving from both the parents. "I gave it to her straight!"

* * *

Well, haha... there you have it. I'm sure you guys know what this means, right...

Reviews make me happy and fuel my ability to update, ahaha... so please review me.

-crawls back to learn her Latin vocabulary-


	13. What Not To Comment On

**Disclaimer**: No one thinks I own Naruto. Why do I have to constantly admit it? I also regrettably do not own Last Alliance or Alice Nine. Pity me.

* * *

**We Were Made To Be**

Chapter Thirteen

**What Not To Comment On**

The words echoed together and clashed like notes on a piano. Fitting them together in a sentence seemed impossible to Sakura. She tried to stick the words together in her mind but they fell to the floor again. It was like a grammatical error. It was like trying to mix oil and water.

A spider's web of indistinguishable codes.

She couldn't describe what she was feeling. A feeling of extreme heat and extreme cold. Like she had been branded an outcast of the world and then doused with the cold, sheer reality of the situation. Sakura shook her head. It was like being told that everything she had learnt had no real meaning. As if it was just made up for some sort of emotional comfort.

**No**.

She laughed. No one else did.

"That's not possible." Sakura said, heartily. "So you're saying I'm-"

"A Homo Regi, yes." Tsunade said, bluntly, ignoring the glowers that her parents gave her again. "I don't see what's so hard to believe. You believed me when I told you that I was one."

"No, Tsunade-sama, that's nonsense! Don't you see?" Sakura shook her head, still laughing, waving the theory off lightly as a simple piece of empty evidence. "I can't possibly be one."

"Why not?" Her mother asked, still gripping her daughter's hand.

She shrugged and wanted to mumble 'I'm not pretty enough,' but decided against it. "From what everyone's said to me... no, just no."

"Sakura, if you can't trust me and your parents, then who are you going to listen to?" Tsunade raised her voice angrily.

Tsunade's voice had never been particularly comforting. Sakura trusted her with her life, but right now she couldn't help but not believe. Yet something inside her, even though the pieces of the puzzle just didn't fit, was telling her that what Tsunade was saying was true. That this wasn't some big hoax and that she wasn't getting Punk'd on live TV or something. It was just that Sakura didn't _want _to believe it. Regi were hated. Regi were considered scum amongst a majority of people. Freaks. Abominations. Failed experiments. Her friends all shuddered when they told her about them. Did she want this? She asked herself that question every second for a minute. A whole minute she was in silence. Was she happy?

She took her hands out from under her parents grip and taking her knees in each. "But I don't understand." She said, weakly. "T-There's no proof! I'm nothing like one! How could this-"

But her dad let out a loud chuckle, massaging his temple. "She's just like I was when I found out. Always wanting the facts."

"Sakura," Tsunade started, leaning full on to the desk. "The proof is in your genes."

"You said that most Regi find it out in their late twenties!" Sakura shouted, pointing an angry finger towards her principal who did not look amused with her antics. "And you said that Regi can detect other Regi! I haven't found any way to tell Regi apart from other people!"

Tsunade unfolded her arms. "I also said that those with purer blood find it in their teens, _fool_." Sakura felt a sting on the insult she was given and stayed silent because of it. "And," Tsunade continued, pursing lipstick covered lips. "I also said that it becomes a lot easier after you've realized it."

"But you're a Regi, and I don't see anything with you?"

"Are you sure?" Tsunade crossed her legs maturely. "Being a Regi doesn't mean you're able to knock down walls whenever you want. You've got to learn how to control it. That's what that mint was for." Tsunade flicked up an all-knowing finger to emphasize her point. "It wasn't a mint, so to speak... it was more of a chemical amplifier. Basically the only thing that separates Regi from humans is a difference in chemical activity in the brain. Of course, no Homo Sapien has figured this out yet... but it's a supplement that concentrates your eyesight so you can properly see the things that only we were meant to see."

Sakura paused. "So you drugged me?"

Tsunade shook her hand from side to side. "Drugged is such a harsh word."

Sakura thought it over for a second. She was doing quite well, she thought. She had just found out from her principal that her whole life was a lie and she had shouted... once? Maybe twice, but who's counting really?

The pain of realization still stung though.

"Tsunade-sama, what was that test anyway?" Sakura asked, feebly. "That so-called IQ test? Because, no offence, but it was kind of obvious that it wasn't an IQ test..."

She stifled a small laugh but failed. "That, Sakura, was a test to see if A) You were as pure a Regi as I thought and B) How strong your reaction would be. Because, Sakura, it's unexplainable, but even in photographs you can pick out Regi's."

Sakura nodded... weakly.

"We asked you to describe any changes you saw. This was to see if you could identify the aura that a Regi gives off, which you could of course. And I asked which of the two characters drew you in, to see if you could identify the one with the purest blood."

"A-And I was right??"

Tsunade nodded. "I've never seen such a quick and accurate test result in your generation. You two should be proud - you've got quite a superb little girl here." She smiled approvingly towards Sakura's parents. Her mother, who had made herself scarce until then, uttered a quick word of thanks.

Sakura gave a nervous giggle before fading again. "I'm guessing this whole 'aura' thing is only visible if you really look hard. Because whenever I concentrated, I could see colours clouding my vision... I think I know the identity of one other Regi already..." She admitted softly.

"Oh?" Tsunade pricked up her ears.

_All this not blinking was affecting her eyes... she could see colors engulf his face. A pale misty green-_

"H-Hyuuga Neji." She whispered, wiping her eyes and sniffing loudly.

Tsunade smiled and stood up from her seat. "Congratulations, Sakura." She seated herself on the desk instead, looking down at the trio below her. "Are you surprised at all?"

Sakura coughed and rubbed her face again, shaking her head. "He's always been a little... incredible. And he certainly is beautiful... does he know?"

"Oh, yes. And I had a feeling that he was catching on to how strong you were after a while." Tsunade sung whilst holding out a handkerchief to Sakura and dropping it in to he hands. "The Hyuuga family is very proud of its heritage. They keep it secret to outsiders, but all the descendents are brought up knowing."

"D-Does that mean that Hinata and her sister...?"

Her assumption was confirmed by an absent nod. "Although, it seems that Hinata and her sister are no where near the level that Neji is at. None of the Hyuuga are, and I think it scares them. He's probably just as pure as you are."

"What percentage is that?" Sakura's mother spoke up suddenly. Both her arms were wrapped around her daughter.

Tsunade stared at Sakura for a moment, which sent an uncomfortable shiver down her back. Being looked at in such an untoward manner... "I'd say about 70 percent. Which is extremely high. The head of the Hyuuga and I are only about 55 percent."

"He said something to me." Sakura spluttered, her eyes puffing. "Some weird phrase thing about painting and colours."

"The fool." Her father spoke behind a tightened hand.

Tsunade shifted in her seat, flicking strands of yellow hair out of her eyes. "I presume he spoke the first stanza. You see, Sakura," She turned a pair of amber eyes towards her rosy pupil. "Only Regi with a blood purity over 15 percent realize that they are Regi. The others live their lives without knowing, and although they have an aura like their own kind, they might be just as hateful towards their own race as any human. So, realized Regi are always taught the first stanza, a way of identifying each other. One speaks the first part, 'From left and right, through thick and thin, as the colour black fades to grey we will remain to paint the world white' and the person they are asking answers with the second, 'Blue to scarlet, in the north we find eternity as dawn becomes down.'"

* * *

Gripping both her parent's hands as they exited the school's front door. The end of school bell had already rung and students were filing out of the corridors. None of the family spoke anything as they walked, but there was a much higher element of togetherness about them. For the first time in a while, Sakura could say that she truly enjoyed being in a family.

And as they walked, they came across Tenten and the Hyuuga cousins who had chased them down the stairs. Sakura turned to face them, with both her hands still in those of her parents.

"Sakura, are you okay?" Tenten pressed her friend's face between two palms, examining it. "You look like you've been crying... Was that Uchiha's fault?? Because if it was, then I'm going to-"

"It wasn't Sasuke," Sakura said, sternly. "I'm sorry Tenten, I have to go. I'll see on Monday, okay?"

The small girl was taken aback by the strictness of this mandate, but nodded nonetheless. Neji and Hinata watched curiously as the pink haired girl walked down the street.

And for once, Sakura felt relieved. She felt as if a great burden had been heaved off her back. It was surprising, actually, that such a thing could have happened so quickly and so painfully. She was different from most people. That was the way it was and whether or not she accepted it, which was the cold, harsh truth.

_"Now Sakura," Tsunade spoke loudly. "You must be careful and never, ever under any circumstances reveal your identity to anyone - not even your friends. If you do, your lives and your parent's lives are in terrible danger. Regi are hated. If you, like Neji, know the identity of another but are not sure whether or not they realize it themselves, always use the first stanza."_

_  
Sakura nodded._

_  
"I want to monitor you from now on. I'm sure if you decide to tell Neji he will also keep a close eye on you, but from now on, I am your mentor. I want to help you control your gift."_

For the first time in years, Sakura could eat lunch with her mother and father without feeling the slightest irritation. They went out to a restaurant in the evening, something that Sakura had never got the chance to do with her parents before.

Such things were enough to bring her to her knees.

Her mother was called off the next day for urgent business, so Sakura spent the whole of Saturday with her father. They couldn't leave the house for obvious reasons and even though Sakura had loved her gardens through her youth, nothing could compare to the tranquil paradise that was Konoha Park.

Sakura smiled. All the cherry blossoms would be in bloom soon. She couldn't wait.

"I-It's quite loud, isn't it, Sakura?" Her father winced through the pair of headphones that had been forcefully pushed on to him by a determined little girl.

"It's supposed to be like that, daddy! It's rock music!" She said naturally, changing the tracks hurriedly. "Ahh! Here's one of my favorite bands, daddy! Last Alliance!" She sighed and flattened herself on to her dad's stomach and listens in to the sounds escaping from her father's overlarge headphones. Shissou.

_Go sen mairu hashitte iki wo kirashite..._

_Running 5000 miles and running out of breath..._

Right now, she was complete. It was moments like these that she lusted for. She dipped her hand once more in to the bowl of cherries beside them both.

Her father stirred. She looked up to see him tapping a deciding finger on his chin curiously. "Hm." He said, running his hands through a mess of blonde hair. "They're nice lyrics, aren't they?"

"They sure are!" Sakura squealed with joy, grabbing sets of CD cases between two sets of sticky fingers. "Last Alliance has so many nice songs! And after that we can listen to Alice Nine! Shou-san is a really talented vocalist, daddy, you should listen to-"

But Sakura didn't get to tell her father about what he should listen to, because a very slow and boring ringtone had sounded within his shirt. He groaned and drew the phone out of his pocket, propping it up on his stomach.

"I'm sorry, honey, let me just take this." He told his daughter, stroking her hair after seeing her disdained face. "Haruno Ryo speaking." He announced, dully, pressing speakerphone. Sakura frowned and laid her head on his chest again, looking enviously at the cell phone. Why did it always have her father's full attention with so little ease?

"Haruno-san? Its Masuda!" Answered a hurried, nasally voice. Her father seemed to flinch as he introduced himself. "You're wanted in our offices! I assure you, it's a matter of importance!"

Sakura watched as her father roll his eyes and drum his clean set of fingers on Sakura's head. "Masuda, your company makes toolkits. What kind of importance could there possibly be?

"W-Well, Haruno-san, my boss has just asked me to call you on account of stocks and lack of primary materials! He assured me that it's urgent that you come to Tokyo right away."

"Dad!" Sakura whispered disappointedly, gripping his shirt weakly.

He looked way from her. "Masuda, are people dying?"

"What?"

He smiled impishly. "What I said. Are people dying through severe lack of toolkits?"

"N-No, but I hardly see-."

"Masuda," He started again, with a slight sneer in his voice. "Are newborn babies simultaneously imploding because their father is unable to buy your overpriced spanners?"

"N-No..."

"Then I hardly call it a matter of urgency." Her father popped another cherrystone out of his mouth and added it to the pile, inspecting his knuckles. "What would you call it, Masuda?"

Sakura giggled as this jumpy Masuda person rambled on about something else for a while, and then suggesting that he pass them on to one of his bosses. Ryo rolled his eyes again as a low, throaty voice came from the phone. "Haruno? It's Amino. What's all this about, anyway?"

"On the contrary, Amino," He drawled, happily, "Masuda was the one that requested I speak to you. It seems there is some sort of 'matter of urgency' that I simply _must _fly out to Tokyo for, though I don't fully understand what, if anything, my presence will do to help your stocks go up."

The man grunted. "Haruno, I'm not in the mood for your wit. Just get your butt in your helicopter and get over here, we need you!"

"No can do, Amino." He crunched a stone between his teeth. "I'm in a prior engagement."

"Then cancel!" The man, Sakura guessed, was waving his arms in the air angrily by this point. It certainly sounded like it. Either that or the phone he was using was being manhandled. "I don't think you understand!"

"Oh, I understand perfectly. It's all quite clear, really." He rolled over on to his stomach. Sakura followed, giggling. "It's not too hard to understand that you cannot run your business making toolkits and in response have to pay through the nose to get a much more successful business man to give you tips and save your skin." Ryo said, in a very 'matter-of-factly' way. "Right now I am spending time with my daughter, so you'll have to wait until Tuesday."

"Your daughter??"

"Yes, actually! My wife and myself were originally going to spend the day with her, but Mizu got called out on some _real _urgent business - So it's just a Father-Daughter day for me today. Do you have a daughter, Amino? Mine's absolutely adorable. Say hello to Amino, Sakura."

"Hi, Mr. Amino!" Sakura squeaked in to the phone. "How're you doing today, huh?"

"This is ridiculous!" Amino roared, slamming his phone against his ear again. "What kind of businessman are you?? Choosing your daughter over an important meeting! I heard that you were quirky, but really! What on earth can you be doing that is so important anyway?"

"Amino, forgive me, but I can't help taking offense at your words. Of course I'd choose my daughter over some second-rate pity deal with a dying business. Next time, I recommend listening to your employees and customers instead of solely trusting on your poorly-based instincts." Her father said, bluntly, through a long yawn. "And if you're really that interested in what we're doing, we are currently lying in the middle of the second floor hallway listening to rock music and eating cherries." He placed another between his lips for good measure. "Now if you excuse me-"

"Wait, you can't do this!"

He chewed. "Goodbye, Amino."

"But wait, just-"

Click.

"I love you, daddy," Sakura yawned, wrapping a pair of arms around his middle and flicking the music player back on.

_Itsuwari wa nai ze kakugo kimeteru ze..._

_There's no pretense; I'm prepared..._

* * *

Okay. Sakura was going to scream with delight.

It was in the evening and she was now linked in arm between her mother and her father, walking down the shopping district, eating candyfloss. Of course they couldn't go _completely _freely. Sakura's mother had a very powdered face - hiding her pinker complexion - and a raven wig that flooded down to her pelvis, and her father had dyed his hair dark brown completely.

"I'm tired of being a blonde," He had said, flicking it back behind his ears.

But obviously, Sakura wasn't allowed to have a completely nice time. No, something always had to come up - and this time it appeared in the form of her being bumped in to and almost knocked to the ground.

"Ah- I'm sorry-" Sakura began, but shut her mouth immediately as she spun to see those two obsidian eyes framed by tired, black rings frowning at him behind a pair of blue-tinted glasses.

**Oh, COME on.**

"What are YOU doing here??" Sakura pointed obscenely.

"It's called a disguise, idiot." He said, simply, before stalking off in the opposite direction. _Yep. Sasuke effectively completed his mission of making my life miserable. The jerk._

Sakura's bad mood carried on to Monday, where she had almost bit Naruto's taunting hand at lunchtime. Tenten had kept her distance, only going within an arm's length of her at the end of the day when she seemed to calm down. They were now back on hugging terms, although Sakura was continuously throwing dirty looks at Sasuke, and he returned them.

With those same, exhausted eyes. Sakura disliked it, but she was worrying about him. She needed a way to keep her mind off him.

"Why do I have to come?" Neji asked dully as Tenten wrenched her tall training partner along behind Naruto and Kiba. "It is no business of mine if you want to talk to Hinata-sama."

Tenten pulled again, and spoke in her high voice, "But if I let you out of my sight, you'll probably mope off somewhere. And remember, we have training today! Never forget it!"

"As memory serves, it was always _you _who tried to skive our training through the years, not myself."

Naruto stopped outside one of the labs where people were already beginning to file out. Sure enough, Hinata, who still had the pigtails that Sakura had angrily braided when they were supposed to be talking about panoramas in English whilst ranting about 'stupid idiots with bird-shaped hair'. Hinata wasn't paying attention to where she was going - only looking saddened at the report she held in her hands.

"Hinata!" Naruto cried, pouncing down on the poor girl, only paces away from the door. The papers spilled from her hands and scattered on to the ground. Had they been waiting for her? The pale-eyed girl recoiled slightly at the sight of the blonde closing in on her. He locked her in a tight embrace - lifting her from the ground and spinning her about, resulting in her face turning beetroot. Kiba, Tenten and Sakura looked on in amusement, though Neji's expression was more sour than usual. "We're friends, right? And you're a girl and I'm a guy."

"Supposedly." Kiba added, earning him a knee to the stomach. A group of onlookers had gathered at this point.

"But we're _best _friends, remember?" Naruto sneered happily as Hinata blushed on thinking back to that series of events. That day had not been Hinata's happiest, and Neji had had to support her from fainting when her little sister Hanabi asked her 'How was your day?' It hadn't helped when Neji's little cousin had asked 'So, Hinata-nee-san was raped?' after her older sister had finished explaining, just as his strict, no-nonsense Uncle had entered through the door. It wasn't Neji's best day, either, surprisingly. "And best friends stick together, don't you think?"

"W-What do you mean, Naruto-kun?" She managed to stutter. It sounded as if Naruto's bear hug had eliminated her of both air and the ability to speak.

"I mean this Ball thing. It's supposed to be for romantic couples, right? And you and me aren't attached, right? Plus we've known each other since _Grade _school! It'd be simple for us to play pretend, right? Right?"

Hinata gaped airlessly, but could not make a sound. She quivered in his arms. Her dark violet hair was all in a flurry around her red face, as she didn't attempt to struggle. The chorus of 'Aww's' coming from Sakura, Tenten and (mockingly) Kiba had not been heard.

"And it's not as if we'll be the only people pretending, anyway! Loads of people will be going as friends! Even your cousin and Tenten! It's only the smart thing to do in a situation like ours, right?"

All these questions were getting Hinata agitated and it was easy to see that she was getting weak in the knees because of it. Neji sniffed loudly in disapproval before throwing the tissue that Kiba offered jokingly back in his face with an angry grunt.

Spinning her out from her arms and kneeling in front of her - giving the Hyuuga an unwanted remembrance of the 'Best Friend' incident - Naruto held his arms out majestically before, to the surprise of everyone, giving her white fingers a soft, quick kiss. Kiba started cackling stridently at the sight of it. Hinata toppled over, only to be caught by her cousin who had been hovering behind her.

"Let Hinata-sama go!" Neji commanded, grasping hold of one arm and pulling her towards him.

Naruto frowned angrily and clasped Hinata's hand and did the same. "No way! You let go! You don't own her!"

"Neither do you!"

"But I wasn't doing anything wrong!!"

This game of tug and war lasted for about a minute and Hinata was squeaking in pain as the two adolescents wrenched at her arms. And it wasn't as if either of them were pushovers, exactly. Both were compactly muscled and perfectly capable of causing quite a bit of damage to a person if angry enough. Finally after cheating by kicking his opponent in the shin, Naruto tugged Hinata towards him and took her in his arms, sneering at his Neji. Neji stumbled backwards, shooting daggers at this shameless display.

"Hyuuga Hinata!" Naruto exclaimed, much louder than necessary. The trademark mischievous and boyish grin had appeared on his face - just rubbing his victory in the scowling Neji's face. "Will you be so kind in being my date to the Spring Dance?"

Sakura and Tenten jumped up and down squealing as Hinata gave a small nod before being ambushed once again - but this time by her cousin. Kiba looked on in approval as Naruto rolled around on the floor in pain as an angry Neji stalked off in the opposite direction, practically carrying Hinata under his arm. Apparently the tall boy had delivered a swift foot to Naruto's...

"Wow." Sai appeared from the other side of the hallway. There was a glint of amusement amongst his emotionless face. "I guess you really _do _have one after all."

Naruto shot a series of glowers at the Uchiha-look-alike. His eyes were glistening with pain and he bit his lip hard before uttering, "I... am going to _eat _that Hyuuga bastard... And you too," He growled at Sai, "For good measure..." And with that, he tucked his head back in to his chest and moaned in pain.

"Good luck with that." Tenten thread her arm through Sakura's before setting off after the dark-haired cousins.

Kiba remained, snickering at Naruto and kicking him as a crowd began to form around him. Sai, however, followed the girls stoically, much to Sakura's surprise - and it wasn't long before the pink-haired girl was trying her best to get a good conversation out of him. Though, unlike his look-alike, Sasuke actually dignified some of her questions with monosyllabic answers. Sai, on the other hand, nodded or shook his head or gave the slightest shrug - though most of the time he didn't answer at all. Sakura had a hard time believing that someone was actually more emotionless than even Sasuke.

"So, Sai-kun. Are you looking forward to the Spring Dance?"

A shrug.

"I'm not, to be honest. The whole concept seems frightening to me. I guess I've watched to many Chick Flicks."

No answer whatsoever.

"Don't try and converse with him, Sakura." Tenten said, coldly, observing Sai carefully. "He's a total ice cube."

"And you're a hag." Sai said, simply, putting his hands in to the pockets of his coat and not caring as Tenten's face reddened with rage. Sakura unlaced their arms, just in case the bun-haired girl decided to make a fuss - or rather, a riot. "Your point?"

She stomped angrily in such a way that Sakura thought that she could feel the ground rumble beneath her. "My point is that you're an absolute douche-bag, asshole!" Tenten roared, firing accusing fingers in his direction. Sai's ego seemed to dodge them all before flashing a fake smile in their direction. "And, oh boy, I've got half a mind to-"

"Too bad you've only got half a mind or you might be able to finish that threat."

Sakura giggled and opened the doors to the front stairs down to where her mother was supposed to be waiting for her. Sai and Tenten walked after her - Tenten was still shouting abuse at the impassive boy who was now stifling a yawn. Sakura sighed. She could only hope that they weren't doing this when her mother decided to show her face. It was one of her mother's few holidays and the last thing that she needed was Tenten erupting in front of her eyes.

As the three of them proceeded down the marble stairs, Sakura could see her limo come in to view. Her mother was standing outside it, typing furiously on a P.D.A with her tongue clenched between her set of teeth. Even on her day off, her mother was working hard. Such dedication was inspiring - if not a little disturbing. She sported a big pair of sunglasses and all her pink hair was gathered under a hat. Sakura poked them both hard telling them to stop before she skipped towards her mother happily.

"Hi, Sakura's mom!" Tenten called as Sakura embraced her mother - much tighter than usual. Apparently her mood had changed. Her mother only repeated the notion.

"Hello Tenten-kun." Her mother said before focusing on the tall boy who was proceeding toward them after her daughter. "Oh! I thought you were Uchiha-kun for a moment. Sorry dear, I'm afraid I don't know who you are - but it's very nice to meet you. I'm Haruno Mizu."

"I am Sai." Sai said, seriously as he ignored Tenten's overloud scoff from the side. He flicked his dark fringe out of his eyes and to the side of his forehead. It hung handsomely around his pale face. "And if I might say...?

Sakura spun around to face him, expectantly. Sakura's mother took off her glasses with interest. "Um, yes, Sai-kun?"

"I just thought you ought to know," Sai started, taking a pair of white gloves from the pockets of his coat and pulling them on slowly. "That the skirt you are wearing makes you look like a prostitute."

"WHAT?" Tenten could not control herself any longer and blasted out loudly in an almighty burst of fury and disbelief. Sakura's jaw dropped as she tried to examine his face for even the slightest change of emotion. None. None at all.

Sakura's mother seemed to be as lost for words as her daughter was. She didn't notice as she dropped her expensive pair of sunglasses to the ground and still couldn't answer when Sai picked them up politely and held them out to her.

"Wh- Oh, yes!" She cried, suddenly, after realizing the situation again. Sakura was glassy-eyed no more and latched back on to her train of thought. "Yes! I mean, of course! Wow... you're right... I should have seen it myself! Thank you very much for being so honest, Sai-kun!"

He nodded his head. And with that, Sai turned his heel and walked off on the other direction, his long coat tailing after him. Sakura's mother waved happily at him, whilst shouting out calls of goodbye. She finally stopped and turned back to see the two girls gawking at her.

"...What?"

* * *

It was dark and Sakura was smothered until thick duvet covers and blankets, her hair sprawled over her set of pillows. She looked the clock beside her. 1:23 am. She groaned. She had school tomorrow!

She closed her eyes, and black grouped around to meet her. She could see an object coming on to view... a figure in fact. Her view closed in on his face to reveal... a pair of dark eyes and sallow skin.

Her eyes snapped open _again_. Sasuke, _again_. Whenever she closed her eyes, there_ he _was, looking _tired_. Dammit. She was going to have to do something about this.

But what??

"Are you sure about this, sweetie?" Her mother stroked her shoulder, concerned. "Uchiha-kun wasn't exactly warm a few nights ago. What makes you think he'll be any different tonight?"

Sakura shrugged and hit the doorbell with her fist. She'd just gone to school earlier after a sleepless night. It was the last straw, basically. Now she was going to find out what she needed to know.

"Yes, sorry." Sakura said to the butler as she stood outside the steps of the Uchiha mansion. Her mother stood by her side, waving happily in perfect contrast to Sakura's somber face. "My name is Haruno Sakura. I believe we've met?"

"Yes, Miss Haruno." He said with a bow. "I assume you are here to see the young-"

"Mizu?" Said a voice from behind them. Sakura's mother turned around, only to be embraced by a pretty woman with long black hair. It was Sasuke's mother, whose arms were adorned by several bags - all from designer stores. "It's been far too long! And Sakura!" She kissed Sakura's cheek quickly. Sakura did the same, but her staid expression had not faltered.

Sakura's mother sighed, placing a jeweled hand on her daughters shoulder. "Sakura is not usually so humorless. She's very serious about talking to your Sasuke right now."

"Is Sasuke-kun home?" Sakura piped up, suddenly.

Mikoto beckoned them both in to her house and handed her bags to a few servants that seemed to appear out of nowhere. "I'm afraid he's not, I don't think. He's got a class right now."

Sakura took her mother's hand in hers and bowed in respect to the tall woman. "Thank you, Mikoto-san. Maybe it would be best if we came back later? If you could tell Sasuke-kun we came..."

"No, no! He won't be long!" Mikoto chirped happily, taking them both in arm and leading them off in to the living room next to the hall. Sakura had been in this room before, she noticed as they were led in. It was the room Sasuke had taken them as soon as they got in the house when she had run. This time, however, since the sun was out, the room was bright and lit from the several large windows on the far side. "You can wait for him here, Sakura, dear. After all, your mother and I have a lot of catching up to do, right?"

So Sakura sat amidst the two women who were giggling and chatting like they were seventeen and sipped her drink now and again. She was anxious and going over what she was going to say to Sasuke was tiresome. Where was he? At class... What was 'class' anyway? It was a weekend!

"Oh Sakura, you weren't even born when it happened!" Mikoto put her arm around the small teen. "It was about... October? Yes, October. "Me and your mother got in to such a predicament in high school. It was when-"

Sakura was getting sick of listening to the women's' drama stories. It had not been a 'little while.' It had been at least three hours and the sun had diminished behind the hills. All that filled the sky now was an eerie orange glow. She was about to get relief, though, because half way through another fit of giggling, a stoic looking Sasuke walked in. His frown grew inside as soon as he set sight on her electric head of hair.

"What are you doing here?" He spat.

"I'm here to talk to you!" Sakura retorted with equal coldness. The mothers looked at each other quickly and swiftly left the room. Sakura hadn't noticed. She was too fixated on glowering at Sasuke. "It's important and I want you to listen!"

"And_ I _want you to go take a long walk of a short cliff. Haruno, why don't you stop being annoying and leave me alone??" Sasuke threw back, striding angrily towards her.

Sakura did the same and stomped over to him, hand clamped by her side and struggling to block out the voice in her head that was telling her to set him on fire. She brought her voice to a low, haunting growl before uttering, "You once told me not to act on the opinions of others."

"And now I'm telling you to walk off a cliff." He barked back, towering over her. She wasn't in the least intimidated though, but her face was a crimson colour with anger. "Why are you here, anyway?"

"Because." Sakura snapped, "For a long time now, you have been looking more and more ill, and I want to know what's up."

"What if I said it's none of your business because it's a stupid reason that doesn't concern you in the least?"

"Then I'd kick you in the mouth for being so inconsiderate of yourself! Any other questions??" Sakura yelled in such away that Sasuke looked momentarily shocked. He hesitated. She cut him short. "You're not looking after yourself and that leads to fainting, illness, depression and even death in a worst case scenario! So tell me, because I doubt your lack of sleep is due to the fact that I slept in your bed _once_." Sasuke opened his mouth to speak up, but she cut him short again. "And if you don't tell me, I'll ask your mother or your brother and get them involved."

Sakura glared in triumph as Sasuke said nothing. He only frowned back and finally hissed, "You're so annoying."

"I practice." Sakura said, taking his wrist in hand and dragging the reluctant boy to the couch where she had been sitting with her mother before. He sat down at one side and she curled up on the other. "So spill. You've not been sleeping or eating and its showing."

"I didn't think it was obvious." He grumbled, stuffing his hands in to the pockets of his jacket, avoiding Sakura's eyes. He was fixated on the ground and refused to look at her. "What if I said that I didn't want you getting involved because it's not important and that I don't want you making a fuss - considering you have a _slight _habit of worrying?"

Sakura sighed and leant over to turn his head, forcing her to look at her as she put on her most sincere face. "Sasuke-kun, even if you don't want me to worry, I'll still be worried about you. You're my friend and I care. Ever since a few days ago, you've been different and it's not nice. I don't want to see you collapse in class from exhaustion. Can you imagine how I'd feel about that? I mean, fighting back those fangirls from your unconscious body will be a task that requires kickass far beyond my skills." She smiled as Sasuke gave an amused 'Hmph' and she swung her whole body on to her side of the couch. "Look." She started again, flattening down her mess of pink hair. "I've just decided. You don't have to tell me if you really, really don't want to because you seem to be kind of delicate about it, but I want you to get more sleep. And if you don't I'll be on your back again, annoying you."

He huffed and folded his arms. "I am not delicate, Haruno."

Sakura laughed before leaning over giving him a big hug. They broke apart slightly and Sakura held her face close to his, smiling happily. He looked at her from the corner of his eyes. His confident expression was back and she couldn't be happier. She pressed their cheeks together, just to see him squirm and she laughed. "Of course not, _Sasuke-chan_."

He groaned.

She could do nothing but grin. She grabbed his face and turned it to face her, softly. "Just get some sleep, okay? I worry about you, you know." She pinched his cheeks together childishly.

"Hn."

"Or else I'll beat you up in such a way that even Temari will be proud of me."

"Sure you will."

"You still owe me a hug, by the way. A nice one, too."

"You just hugged me now."

"Exactly. _I _hugged _you_. _You're _supposed to hug _me_."

"Hn." And to her surprise, he ruffled her hair before standing again. Sakura paused for a moment before she rolled off the couch and skipped freely to where Sasuke was waiting and they walked to the door. Sasuke turned the knob and opened it.

"What?"

"It's stuck." Sasuke growled. He pushed on it harder, but it still wouldn't give. Lifting up a leg, he turned the doorknob and delivered his combat-boot clad foot to the wood. The door swung open and the two of them heard a chorus of groaning coming from the other side. Peering round the door, their mothers came in to view. They were sat on the floor, nursing the sides of their faces. They had been pushing their ears against the door to hear the conversation inside.

"How embarrassing. I expected more of you, mother." Sasuke said, simply, mimicking his brother's tone and looking down his nose at them. He folded his arms. Sakura's mother laughed tensely from where they had fallen and started giving them ill-thought excuses as to why they were leaning against the door.

Mikoto only smiled and silenced her babbling friend. "Be honest with me, Sasuke, dear. Where do you think Itachi gets it? Your father?"

Sasuke smiled approvingly and thrust his hands in to his jean pockets. Sakura only giggled and clasped her hands behind her back.

"That being said," His mother piped, suddenly, digging in her pockets and drawing out a single piece of paper. "I took a call for you before you came home, Sasuke. From a girl called Maika."

Sasuke made a face.

"She wants to know if you'd like to go to the School Dance with you." Mikoto giggled, bringing a pair of shaky hands to her face and sighing deeply. "Finally, one of my sons will get to go to this dance. Itachi never did, of course, so knowing that you will just warms my heart."

"Why do I have to go if Itachi didn't have to?" Sasuke complained, folding his arms tightly across his chest.

Mikoto picked herself up from the ground, dusting her clothes off snappily. "Because. It's a tradition and I don't want you acting like Itachi did. It's embarrassing and it's anti-social. Sakura," She said quickly towards the small girl. "Are you going?"

Sakura hesitated before giving a sudden nod. "But, I don't have a date yet."

"Sasuke doesn't either." His mother said, patting his shoulder tetchily. He frowned and shrugged her hand off. "He's too picky."

He 'hmphed.'

Sakura chuckled lightly before going on to, "It's not that I'm picky that I don't have a date... It's just that..." She shrugged, blushing lightly before murmuring, "No-one's asked me..."

Both mothers hugged her reassuringly whilst Sasuke grumbled something. Sakura frowned at him.

"What?"

"..."

"What did you just mutter right now? You were talking about me."

Sasuke looked away, grumpily but made the mistake of glancing back and being caught in Sakura's hateful glare. He rolled his eyes and answered bluntly, "It's because of your hair."

"My hair." She repeated, slowly.

"It's too weird."

"..."

Sakura left with her nose in the air as her mother trotted after her, apologizing profoundly at the two Uchiha's - One who looked very confused and the other who was hopping up and down grasping his bruised leg between his fingers.

* * *

Yes, she kicked him.

The visual image amused me, and it's something Sakura would do. Sue me.

Tap the review button down there and tell me what you think, okay? -loves-


	14. What Not To Do In PE

Chapter Fourteen, anyone?

Anyway, I'm going to use this space to talk about my manga adventures. Oh yes! I went out and bought the first chapter of Saiyuki: Reloaded -3- I can say that I'm very interested!! Although I don't fully understand it because it being 'reloaded' is a sign that there was a series before it... Ahaha, I'm such an idiot...

But I really like it! Goku is my favorite :'D I want a plushie of him. He's soooo cute! I'll have to draw some fan art...

Yes, I draw :'D Are you surprised?

Now, onwards with the plot!

Disclaimer: Seriously guys. If I owned Naruto, Tenten would have **so **much more screen time.

* * *

**We Were Made To Be**

**Chapter Fourteen**

**What Not To Do In Dodgeball**

* * *

Once again, Sakura sat with her mother during one of her visits to Sasuke's mother. Ever since the quarrelling of their offspring had reunited them, they had made a promise to each other to never break contact again. Apparently, Sakura had learnt, they had been close friends in High School and had shared many adventures together.

Sakura didn't really care. She only sipped tea silently and tried to act poised. When Sasuke was around, she'd tag along with him. He told her that he hated it, but she did it anyway. For some reason, Sakura liked annoying him. It was actually very fun to try and get large outbursts of emotion from the boy.

Of course, she never TOLD him this.

But, Sasuke was not present today, and it was not as if Sakura was particularly bothered by this fact. She was still a little sore about his comment on her hair and the dance.

Yet, halfway through the mother's reminiscing, the other Uchiha brother stepped in, his face hidden within a large file. "Mother, I don't suppose you've seen my report, have you? Deidara's-" But as he lowered it and his eyes fell on the two Haruno's, he paused. "Oh, forgive me. I was unaware that we had company."

"Hi, Itachi-sempai!" Sakura waved happily to the older boy. "How are you?"

"I am fine, Sakura." He nodded towards her, a small smirk on his lips. "Mother, you're not boring poor Sakura with old stories about 'Back in the day' are you?"

Mikoto giggled nervously and waved off this comment.

Itachi watched Sakura as she tried to nod as subtly as she possibly could. He continued, "Although, I'm sure young Sakura would absolutely _hate _to miss these conversations, what, with how much fun she's evidently having," Itachi picked up a stack of papers that were on the table, waving the large coffee stain at his mother. "But I'm afraid I'm going to ask her to meet a friend of mine." He eyed her up and down finally. "I have a little job for her."

"I don't mind helping out!" Sakura said, a little too quickly for her liking.

But her mother didn't seem to notice. She approved and Sakura bounded up to the young Uchiha whilst they continued gabbling. They went straight up the main staircase to the third floor. It consisted of a long hallway paneled with oak and laid with a red carpet. Several doors adorned the sides and Sakura couldn't help but want to look behind them all... but Itachi walked straight past them all and up another winding staircase to a room on the fifth floor. Trotting after him, Sakura couldn't help but wonder what was going on.

The room they came too was designed like the hallway they had just passed through, but it was much bigger and wider. A large desk stood at one end of the room with a large window behind it. A red coach was along one side opposite the door, and on it laid a man. Sakura tilted her head.

Itachi beckoned her in more and she stepped forward. "Sakura, this is probably the most immature person you will ever meet, and since I expect you've met Naruto-kun, then its really saying something."

The man rolled his eyes and held out a gloved hand to her. Sakura looked at him, curiously. He was about the same age as Itachi, but a little shorter. He had honey-blonde hair that hung round his neck. Some of it was pulled in to an elegant ponytail at the top if his head, and the rest of it hung over his left eye. Despite this quirky feature, he had a handsome face and intriguing, blue eyes. "Deidara." He said, simply. He had a masculine voice, despite the way he looked was almost feminine. It reminded her of J-Rock heartthrobs that were dangerously tottering on the fine line that separated the genders.

"My name is Haruno Sakura," She said, her cheeks tinged pink.

Deidara turned back to Itachi, chuckling to himself. Apparently this man, like the Uchiha family, was not fazed by her family name like other people were. This probably meant that he came from a family that rivaled her own in terms of power." What is she, Itachi, your team mascot or something? You said you'd come back with a report and you brought back a little girl. Where do you keep her, in your closet?"

"She's not little. She's sixteen and you only just turned eighteen. She's one of my brother's friends." Itachi said, throwing the report to the blonde and purposely missing the last question.

"_Sasuke-chan _has friends?" Deidara plucked the file out of the air, still sniggering.

"And since you don't want to talk about business like you were supposed to, I thought I might help you with your ridiculous project."

...Project?

"Project?" Sakura chimed, watching Itachi as he rummaged through the desk.

Itachi hummed in reply. "Yes. Deidara is... a business partner of mine, if you will. Myself and a few other people have big plans on an... Organization, I suppose you could call it. He's attending the same university as myself, but he's too wound up in his artistic nonsense to care about it."

Ah, Sakura understood now. He was attending the same university as Itachi and was younger than him, which must have meant that he was a prodigy like Itachi. She was sure that Mikoto had said something about Itachi attending a sophisticated university one year before everyone else his grade. Sakura thought about this_. Of course, because there are 18 year olds in my high school. Itachi and Deidara must have skipped a grade._

"It's not 'nonsense,' you ignorant bastard," Deidara pointed out, calmly. "It's a way of expressing myself and Sasori's just as bad as I am, un. And I still don't see what she has to do with my art."

"Sasori, unlike you, isn't a babbling moron. And weren't you looking for a model a couple of weeks ago but couldn't find anyone who fit the bill?" Itachi voiced, uncaringly. "You said you wanted someone new and unlike any other."

Sakura froze. Model? Like Supermodel? She couldn't be a supermodel! She wasn't tall enough! She hadn't even been asked to the dance!! Sakura tried to think up an appropriate response that wasn't too insulting towards Itachi, but nothing came to mind. For some reason, she couldn't bring herself to say anything wrong to this Uchiha brother. Itachi was much more easy to talk to than his moody younger brother.

"Oh, I see what you mean now." He looked Sakura up and down, ignoring the flush that rose across her face. "But I was in to designing back _then_, idiot." Deidara fell back on the couch and brought his hands behind his head. "It's all about sculptures right now."

Itachi threw a few more files in his direction. "Yes, I know, you've said before." He said, with a pinch of exasperation in his voice. "But you tend to get back in to these things. Can't you consider it?"

Deidara put a thoughtful finger to his mouth and observed Sakura again. "No, I can't do it, un." He folded his arms and rolled off the couch to his feet. "It would be betraying my artistic flow. Ask me again later."

Sakura giggled at the two of them. They certainly were an unlikely pair and to think that they were business partners? Not to mention friends. This peculiar and eccentric character only seemed to get on the nerves of the unfeeling Uchiha. Though, if Itachi acknowledged this man, then he must be something special. And Sakura had good feelings about him. Maybe it was his smile, Sakura thought. He did have a nice one.

"I'm not bringing her back here again." Itachi finally sat behind the desk, tapping on it with a pen. "You can contact her yourself."

The blonde shrugged and beckoned the girl with an outstretched finger. Sakura snapped out of her daze and skipped over, taking a seat next to him. He sat up and folded his legs childishly, turning in to face her. Sakura couldn't help but smile and brought her feet up on to the sofa as well.

He took out a phone from his jacket pocket. "What's your code, cutie?"

"Wh- Code?"

"Deidara-speak for phone-number." Itachi called from over the folder he was inspecting.

"Oh..." She mumbled and started reeling off her number, taking her own phone from the pocket. She punched his in shyly.

He held it up to Sakura's face. "Smile. No teeth."

Sakura hesitated, but then attempted to give one of her sweetest smiles. It must have worked because he looked impressed.

He said, suddenly, bounding up again after Sakura had snapped a picture of him as well. " I like her, Itachi. She's cute like me, un. God knows how dear old Sasuke-chan landed a chick like her as a friend."

"I do wish you'd stop saying 'un.'" Itachi groaned.

"I'll stop saying it as soon as you get your fat head out of your anus." Deidara teased. "So basically, in layman's terms, it's not going to happen, un."

Though Itachi didn't look particularly hurt by this statement. Deidara continued talking, as it seemed he loved to, as Sakura watched happily. She was pretty artistic herself, but nothing compared to this youthful display. He was so young, and he acted his shoe size instead of his age, but Sakura could sense a lot of wisdom in him - despite the fact that he called Itachi a 'bastard' every few minutes.

Though Sakura wasn't too sure about this whole modeling deal he brought up quite frequently.

"Deidara-sempai," Sakura spoke suddenly, lacing her fingers nervously. "I'm not sure about this modeling thing. I don't think I'm modeling material! I-I'm not tall enough to be a model!"

"You said your name was Haruno, right? Haruno Sakura?" He asked, missing the question completely. After Sakura gave a confused nod, he laughed to himself. "Heh, my family hates your father. It's going to be even more fun managing you, un."

Itachi shook his head in disbelief, muttering 'Moron' under his breath.

"You know, Sakura-kun, for a cutie you sure don't talk much."

"Sakura's shy at first, but once she gets used to you, you won't be able to shut her up."

Sakura blushed and stuck an immature tongue out at Itachi.

Deidara folded his arms, "How can you know more about my client than I do?"

"Because you met your 'client' fifteen minutes ago. And I thought you weren't considering it anyway,"

"I'm not. I'm being prepared for the future. Anyway, that's not right." He ignored his business partner, "Managers should know their models better than conceited bastards. I'll call you on the... first of April? We'll lu-"

"Ugh, be quiet about that!" Sakura flopped on to her knees, but apologized as soon as she saw the confusion on the men's faces. "N-No, sorry... It's just that next week we have this stupid dance thing on-"

"Ahh!" Deidara laughed loudly. Itachi smirked and crossed his legs. "The Stupid Prat Recreation Idea of Noxious Gases dance! S.P.R.I.N.G! Oh god, that brings back memories..."

Sakura watched as Deidara had a fit of laughter. He jumped on the sofa next to Sakura and began to explain through outbursts of laughter, "See, at school our little... gang, yeah, gang un. Anyway, we never went to that dance, and the principal always used to get on our cases for it. So Itachi here rigged the air-conditioning units with stink bombs, and-" But he had started laughing again. Sakura turned to Itachi, smiling weakly.

He rested his head in his palms. "Not one of my more cunning ideas, I'll admit... But it _is _on April Fool's day..."

"So, Sakura," Deidara put a long arm against Sakura and pulled her cheek in contact with his, grinning slyly. She wondered if he and Naruto were related, even distantly and laughed nervously. "Has anyone asked you to go, yet?"

"Um, no?"

"No? Whaddyamean, NO?"

It almost pained Sakura to say it, but after a few tries she managed to blurt it out. "No one's asked me to the dance, and it's in a week. Even the guy who's obsessed with me has a date! I guess Sasuke-kun was right about-"

"Whoa." Deidara put a slowing finger to her lips, shaking his head. "Sasuke-chan is _never _right, un - First rule of the universe. What did that dickwad say now?"

"I'd prefer it if you didn't call my little brother a 'dickwad,' Deidara," Itachi drawled, stepping down from his desk and pacing in front of the two of them. "But I'm curious. What did he say to you?"

Sakura explained Sasuke's comment to them. Deidara folded his arms, wrinkling his nose.

"Well that's a bit assholish." He sighed, reaching out to inspect her pink locks.

Itachi shrugged. "Sasuke's never been one to be... what's the word...?"

"Straight?"

"No, not that. Courteous, that's it."

"Courteous or not, Sasuke cannot insult people's hair, especially considering his own." Deidara snickered. "You know why he's so sensitive about being called 'Chicken head?' That's my doing." He prodded his chest, proudly. Sakura giggled.

"How would you put it, Deidara? 'Such fuckery will not be tolerated?' Or something like that." Itachi rubbed his chin in thought.

"Precisely."

Sakura rolled her shoulders and slumped over half-heartedly. "Sasuke-kun has millions of admirers and they must have all asked him by now. Even though he's not going with any of them, I can't help but feel a bit... well... jealous." The two men watched as she curled a long lock of hair around her painted fingernails. "I mean, they all think he's so beautiful, and they're always telling him about it. Even if he rejects them, it must be nice to be so appreciated."

"Don't feel bad about it, Sakura-kun," Deidara ran his hands messily through her hair. "At least you're modest, un. Just look at what all those girls have done to Sasuke's ego... In fact..." Deidara stood up and paced around Itachi cunningly. "Someone should... I don't know... cut his ego down to size, un."

Sakura looked on, anxiously. Itachi narrowed his eyes. "You have far too much time on your hands. I would say, 'You should be spending all this free time on your essays' but that will hardly stop you... What are you planning?"

"Hmph," The blonde huffed, amusedly. "Who do you think Sasuke-chan hates more, Itachi? Me or you?"

"Itachi-sempai." Sakura filled in, hoping to be somewhat helpful since she'd been pretty useless so far. "He wont even touch your car... but what relevance does that have to anything?"

Deidara smiled innocently. Sakura squinted. It didn't suit him. Itachi had been right. He was planning something. Her eyes blinked wide open, "Oh..." She breathed, imagining the outcome of the vision she just thought up. "No, you _wouldn't_."

"Don't say that," Itachi warned. "It only encourages him."

He was right again. Deidara's grin was growing and growing until it came to a point where Sakura had to look away from its creepiness. He drummed his fingers together, chortling to himself. "Itachi, what are you doing on the evening of April the 1st?"

"Now, Deidara." Itachi said, pacing the room again. "Think it over properly. Sasuke sees me practically every day. Sasuke can put up with me to some extent. But you-" He suppressed a scoff. That would simply be un-Itachi-like. "Your visiting makes him flee. The only reason he isn't here today is because Mother let it slip that you were coming."

"True, but he did start crying when he was six when you turned up for his parent-teacher conference. And he's more scared of you in the long run." Deidara sneered and considered this before standing up. "Ro-Sham-Bo for it?"

* * *

"Is this true, Sakura-chan?"

"Its true!" Tenten locked on to Sakura's arm angrily. "She's got a date to the dance and she wont say who its with. She's only given one hint to his identity."

"What?" They pushed their faces in to Tenten's dramatically. Her expression turned fatally serious.

"That he's an older man."

The contents of Naruto's locker had spilled to the ground. Kiba's can of cola lay hissing wrathfully next to it. Both boys had their faces forced up in Sakura's, as if they were trying to stare her to death. Sakura took a step backwards and picked up the can of cola.

"You're making a fuss." She said, austerely, opening the can. "What's the big deal? He's not _that _much older. It's not as if either of you were going to ask me anyway." She drank up, spinning on her heel happily. Naruto and Kiba, who on any other day would have joined in with the merriment, simply looked at her as if she was the most childish person in the world.

"I might have!" Kiba yelled, prodding her firmly with an outstretched finger. "Maybe I have a super big crush on you and was just waiting for the right moment!"

"I find that hard to believe." She smiled behind the metal can. "Anyway. Naruto, you're older than Hinata and Neji is older than Tenten. I still don't see what all this fuss is about. Anyway, you'll all see him at the ball."

And Sakura, after closing her locker shut, walked down the hall with books in hand. Tenten stomped angrily beside her, and the two boys followed shortly. They watched Sakura carefully, whilst whispering to eachother. Suddenly, they nodded and sped their strides up to Sakura. She looked at them, expectantly.

They looked frustratingly at her, before bursting out, "Can't you at least tell us who it is?"

"No." She smiled back, hanging a left. They weren't to give up so easily though.

"But why not?"

"Because he asked me not to tell anyone. It's a secret..."

"It's Uchiha isn't it?"

Sakura made a face. "It isn't Sasuke. I'm still angry at Sasuke." She shook a disapproving finger in their faces. "I would never go to a dance with that boy. He's mean, and-" She folded her arms huffily. "He still owes me a hug, the jerk."

And speaking of 'the jerk,' there he was in the classroom. In his hands was another volume of 'Death Note.' She cringed. It just... suited him. Not that Sakura even vaguely understood the concept of manga. This she didn't stay on, though, because she was too busy scanning his face. He was still too pale, yes, and his skin drooped off his cheekbones with lack of sleep, but he had looked worse.

Sakura was just happy that he had _somewhat _listened to her and because of it, she did not poke him like she had originally intended. _He should consider himself lucky_, Sakura mused. With being a Regi and all, cracking his skull in two seemed like plain sailing.

For the first time, she was starting to think that being a Regi wouldn't be so bad.

See? She could _totally _be open-minded.

**But even though its going to be sort of fun, it's gonna be a lot of work too!** Her inner voice lectured loudly. **Remember! Tsunade-sama said you couldn't tell anyone. Well... maybe you can tell Neji and Hinata, but no one else!**

_Not even Tenten?_

**Are you kidding?? Especially not Tenten. You saw her face when Neji described them for the first time! She hates them!**

She considered this. Sakura wasn't one to keep secrets, nor was she one to lie. If Tenten were to ask her, she'd have a hard time concealing it. Now was not the time to dwell on such a thing, though, for she was now in a room full of girls. UNCHANGING girls.

Her eyelid twitched.

"Sakura! Hi!" Said a girl that she knew from her class with dishwater blonde hair. "Come talk with us! Is this your-"

But she stopped, for Sakura was now looking the opposite direction and frowning. She scuttled over to her, still frowning, before hissing in to her ear, "What in God's earth are you doing??"

"...Changing?"

"In a room with other people- ugh!" Sakura hid her eyes as the girl took off her shirt, revealing a spotted pink bra. Sakura swiped the air, screeched wildly and started throwing random clothes she came across in the girl's direction. "Clothe yourself!!"

Temari, who had just returned from her swim class, eventually rescued Sakura. Sakura, who learnt from the older girl that getting unchanged publicly like this was in fact a perfectly normal routine. Sakura nodded unsurely until Temari herself started changing. At this time, she grabbed her sports bag and stomped off to the bathrooms.

"It's barbaric, that's what it is..." Sakura mumbled to herself as she pulled the school's red sport jersey over her head, kicking the stall she stood in. "I mean, if this is the changing, what is the sports like? Throwing rocks at eachother? Pfft."

To Sakura's dislike, she hadn't been completely wrong about the school and their choice of sports.

"Dodge ball!" Kurenai shouted, raising a slender arm in the air energetically. Sakura blinked. Some of the others groaned whilst other chuckled to eachother. She thought she had heard Tenten laugh maniacally.

Because instead of rocks, they were firing large, red balls in the other direction. Sakura shook her head disdainfully. Unbelievable. Mankind had just dropped another few levels in her opinion.

"Teams!" Kurenai spoke again, talking through a whistle in her mouth. "Anyone who has a name beginning with A to M on one side. The others, to the right!"

Sakura shifted her feet unsurely before being whisked off by Tenten to the right side of the playing field where the rest of her team was. At first sight, everyone on her team looked sort of pick-n-mix - Her, Sasuke, Tenten, Neji, Naruto as well as about a dozen Sasuke fangirls.

But they weren't flocking over him, to her surprise. They were focused and ready to show Sasuke what they were made of. As far as Sasuke was concerned, they were all made of sulfur and Paris Hilton. Therefore he avoided them like the devil.

Sasuke would be Sasuke, after all.

The game itself was a lot better than Sakura had originally though. Throwing balls at the other team and dodging the one's thrown at her. Pretty easy, really, because Sakura was very supple and wove threw the balls like a dance. Meanwhile, Tenten was shooting balls in such a way that no one dared to try and aim for her.

Because if they missed, they would be dead meat.

Sasuke and Neji didn't look too bothered. They dodged the flying balls with little effort, but didn't look concerned enough to give half a damn about anything else. Because of this, no one aimed for them. To his displeasure, Naruto was actually the aim of a lot of balls, most likely due to Kiba's influence.

And the teams depleted quickly until only the finest individuals were left. The other team consisted of Lee, Kiba and the particularly fiery fangirl Ino who was the only person brave enough to attempt to knock out Tenten. It is not hard to imagine what became of this.

"Doing okay, Neji?" Sakura sung, taking the ball he had just caught out of his hands and shooting it back towards Lee. "You don't look too in to it."

He huffed and folded his arms. "Organized sports are tiresome. And the sportswear does not suit my taste." He looked down at the baggy shorts the boys were instructed to wear.

She smiled. "Oh? If it's so tiresome, why not join to end it as quickly as possible?"

Neji didn't answer her. He only took the three balls that Lee had hurled at him and passed them along to Tenten.

Tenten, naturally, was the equivalent of a military rifle. Goodness only knew how Ino had survived until this point, but Tenten didn't look too pleased with herself because of it. Finally, it was Sakura who hit the blonde in the chest, knocking her over. It had taken a few thousand apologies before Sakura was ready to get back in the game. Ino didn't look so much angry... more like shocked.

And she didn't cheer like a moron when Lee caught Sakura's leg with a dodge ball. ("Sakura-san! A-Are you alright?? If I have hurt you, I will run 500 laps around the city as punishment!!")

Sakura was not hurt. She sat down on the sidelines next to Tenten and Neji. Neji, who had tired of the game and walked off the pitch, had brought a folder out of no-where and was now studying Literature notes.

And evidentially Sasuke was the last member of the second team. He didn't too enthralled about it and spent the remainder of the match scooting to the side slightly and checking his watch.

And with that the lesson ended with a win to the first team. Sakura still believed that it was barbaric and pointless, but she had sort of enjoyed herself - as embarrassing as it was to admit it.

But she had to hurry! She slipped on her overlarge jersey over her sports clothes and rushed out of the changing room.

Yes he was there!!

She flicked her hair pettily before strolling over to him happily. She leant against the wall next to him, grinning. "Hey!"

He looked back. "Sakura."

"Neji." She nodded. He turned back to his English notes, eating an apple. The corridor was empty apart from the two of them. It was perfect. "Hey, Neji, are you doing English?"

He was silent.

"Yeah, we had it this morning." She slumped down to the floor, arms behind her head. "Some weird poetry thing. Something about 'Blue to scarlet, in the north we find eternity as dawn becomes down.'"

He stopped chewing. She grinned back.

"So." He slid down next to her, closing his file slowly. "You're aware."

Sakura giggled.

"I guess I'm going to look out for both you _and _Hinata-sama now." He sighed, drumming his fingers. "Although you're a good one, from what I can tell. Don't be reckless, alright?" He said sternly, warning her with an outstretched finger. "You were a little strong in dodge ball, especially towards Ino. If anything too big happens, I'll have to intervene. And I can't promise I'll be gentle-"

But they both fell silent. Tenten had just come though the door in front of them, bearing a sports bag in arms. She looked at them before narrowing her eyes. Sakura looked away, blushing slightly.

"_You can't promise you'll be_-"

"You have the most PERFECT timing, Tenten." Neji folded his arms, a blush appearing on his pale face.

* * *

Short chapter. Take it or leave it. The last previous was a long one, so it compensates.

I had planned to put Deidara-sempai in the story for a long time! He's younger than Itachi-san in this fic though... but I didn't take any of his quirks away, and that's what really counts! Sasori is also mentioned! Maybe I'll slide him in the fic too... Deidara's one of my favorite Akatsuki members so I had to put him in... He's so fun to write! More fun than writing for Lee! I hope that I got his attitude right, though! I don't know why I made him swear so much, though... Oh well... -the reason for it is because it amuses the author, just so you know-

Review me, please!


	15. What Not To Do When He's At Your Door

This is a bonus chapter for Angel-san! A.K.A. singingwiththevoiceofanangel. I really hope she sees it! Some of my older reviewers have just stopped lately... School maybe?

So anyway, I wanted to do a 1st person chapter, so I used Tenten. So through the eyes of Tenten, then. It does flick to Sakura's 3rd person from time to time, though.

**Disclaimer**: FANFICTION. SAY IT WITH ME. **FAN**FICTION. SERIOUSLY. SAY IT OUT LOUD RIGHT NOW.

* * *

**We Were Made To Be**

**Chapter Fifteen**

**What To Do When He's At Your Door**

Okay. I view myself as a pretty okay person, in general.

Alright, so I have a few violent tendencies, I can get fanatical about the shape of my buns to the point that I scream, I'm a little loud and have a habit of being... what did Neji call it?

Ah yes, _offensive_.

But I'm cool and I don't go digging in to other people's business. Yet, why do I feel so freaking uncomfortable with Sakura and Neji recently?? Ever since Sakura got a date for the dance, they've been a lot... closer. Neji never has time for me anymore, it seems. He always wants to know where Sakura is. He's treating her like he treats his cousins! And Sakura always blushes nowadays. Whenever they look at eachother, they smile. It's like THEY know something that I don't.

AND IT'S FRIGGIN' DRIVING ME UP THE WALL.

Why does this bug me so much?? I'm not that nosy! Well, I'm nosy when it comes to Sakura, but I'm _allowed _to be. She's my best friend. Best friends are supposed to tell eachother secrets.

Except whom they're going to the dance with, it seems. Puh.

Okay, so let's think. He's older than her. But so are most people in the world! I mean, I don't expect her to go with a 30 year old, but _sheesh_. She could at least give me some more hints.

"Hey, Sakura." I leant over the bench, tapping her shoulder violently. She turned around and so did Naruto who sat next to her. "Can't you give me some more clues to who you're going to the dance with?"

"Yeah, Sakura-chan." Naruto entered with a whining voice. "We don't want to cause any trouble about it. We just want to, you know... protect you."

Thanks, Naruto. Thanks a freaking' lot. I could see the reluctance growing on Sakura's face.

"Um..." She started, pawing her lip shakily. Her eyes flickered from the floor, to me, to... Neji? I glared at him quickly before turning back. "Well... He's... got long hair."

"How long?" I snapped back.

"U-Uh... Long-ish!" And she spun back to her chemistry work before I could interrogate her any more.

Long hair. That narrows it down a bit, but I don't know anyone with long hair. Well, there's Neji, but-

No.

No WAY.

Older that her... yes. Long hair, yes, but that doesn't mean that its Neji.

And besides. Sakura would never do something like that to me...

...BUT NEJI FUCKING WOULD. OH MY GOD. HE'S PLANNING TO STAND ME UP AND GO WITH MY BEST FRIEND. HE MUST HAVE CONNED SAKURA IN TO GOING ALONG WITH IT. THATS WHY SHE'S LOOKING AT HIM SO MUCH AND BLUSHING. BECAUSE OF NEJI.

...This amount of stress isn't good for me. I don't do well under stress. I bite my nails when under stress.

But, anyway.

THAT ASSHOLE.

No, no, I'm jumping to conclusions. I do that a lot, I should stop it. It's not right in thinking that. Sakura's not one to give in so easily... at least I don't think she is... Nevertheless, it's a theory and I'm gonna keep an eye on it.

Heh, I always did want to be a secret agent when I was little. Okay.

* * *

**Mission 01 - Operation I-Couldn't-Think-Of-An-Appropriate-Name**

**Target - Haruno Sakura and Hyuuga Neji**

**Objective - To Stir Up Some Trouble**

* * *

"Hi, hi, you guys!" I sung, grabbing them each by the arm. Sakura rocketed down with my jump, but Neji simply put on his 'anal look.' God, I hate that look. It's like he's looking down his nose at me. Okay, yes, he's looking _down _at me, but not like that! Butt munch. "Ready for some fun tonight?"

The whole group is going out tonight to a meal, as Sakura requested - but somehow, I don't see us doing the whole 'formal' thing. We come from rich families, but we are seriously the most pick-n-mix bunch of people ever.

Okay, so first you've got **Naruto**. He's pretty cute, the loudest person I know and he always wants to be in charge. Basically, he wakes up every morning, sprinkles the most corrosive material he could find on his breakfast, and then goes to school. That's my theory at least. But as well as this, he has the biggest Jesus-complex in the world. He has this annoying habit of beating sense in to people. I know. I get it a lot - probably the same amount of times I punch him in the nose. Regularly.

And then there's **Kiba**, the second loudest person I know. He's basically another Naruto minus the Jesus-complex. In short, where Naruto makes people do the right thing, Kiba tends to make them do the complete opposite. It's not like he means to, he's just a bit evil like that, but his heart is in the right place. He's annoyingly charming when he wants to be and probably the bigger pervert out of the two - which is saying a lot, because I'm positive that Naruto has a Lolita-fetish.

Thirdly, you've got **Sakura**, the new kid. Having a intimate conversation with Sakura is like having your brain explode - she's just so smart and comes up with all these points that you would never have thought of! I swear, her brain works in a different way to mine. She's got this untainted beauty and a lot of people envy her because she's one of the few people who are guaranteed to pass the exams with little work. She's also the only girl that Sasuke will let within 5 feet of him.

Speaking of which, **Sasuke**. I've known him since we were 9, but I wouldn't consider us 'friends.' He's always been cold - but through the recent years the coldness has ascended to 'Asshole-syndrome' and even reaching the point of 'over-bastardization.' So, of course, he's got to be the hottest guy in school. Yeah, it makes sense. I mean, I don't like him in that way, but if he asked I wouldn't say no. Besides, he's a good source of eye-candy. And his mysteriousness is cute.

Anyway. There's **Hinata**. Hinata is absolutely gorgeous (Why are all my friends so freaking attractive??), but not a lot of people notice because she's always hiding behind things. Hinata isn't exactly the most outgoing person... in fact, she's like a little mouse. I've only ever heard her raise her voice once - when she was telling Neji off for being an anus when we were twelve. After that, she didn't show her face for a week. But she's sweet and she's brave when the chips are down.

And, great. Then we've got **Neji**. Ugh, I don't even know why I've been a friend with this guy for so long. I mean, I've got to give him some credit, I suppose. I guess he's a good person when he wants to be. And he's nice to look at, but he's got the biggest superiority complex. I have no idea why God gave him such a mind. And on top of that, he's always teasing me. No one else! He makes such disgusting comments that I just _HAVE _to beat him up afterwards. I owe it to myself.

And finally, you've got **me**. I'm not really anything. I'm not sweet or drop-dead gorgeous or an asshole (I don't think I am, at least). I'm kind of plain, and I hate it. It's probably because I'm normal and my friends just... aren't. It's embarrassing to admit, but the reason I'm so loud and violent all the time is because I'm a little sad. I guess I'm a bit of an attention seeker. Anyway...

So why the hell we're going to a meal at an expensive restaurant is beyond me. We'll probably bring it to the ground and then blame it all on Sasuke. It's not as if his parent's will miss a few million yen anyway. Sasuke is basically dripping in money. Have you seen his house?? I mean, I've never been in it, so to speak, but I've seen the outside of it! It makes _my _house look like a mud-hut.

"I-I'm not really sure, Tenten," Sakura avoided my eyes. "I'm not so good at formal dinners. It's going to take me hours to figure out what to wear... I mean, are we going in kimono or just-"

"Sakura can choose the theme." Neji said, stoically. "It's was her idea to go dinner anyway. And she's not been around so much recently. We owe it to her."

I pursed my lips as Sakura's face turned red on cue.

But, as disgusted as I am to admit it, Neji was right. Ugh, just saying those words together sounds like a grammatical error... But Sakura had been disappearing a lot lately. One second I'm walking out of school with her, the next she's completely disappeared. Even at school, she spends all her free time somewhere else. She's always on her phone, but whenever someone comes up to her she says, "Got to go! I'll talk to you later, alright?" And she hangs up and goes about her business like nothing ever happened.

Does she think I'm stupid? Do I **LOOK **stupid??

Don't answer that.

The dance is in less than a week. Everyone who's going to get a date looks pretty much taken. Anyone who isn't going with anyone is either, to put it lightly, a _loser _(Neji says I'm _offensive_?) or Sasuke.

I am taking this WAY too seriously. It's a dance. It's a _dance_. It's not the freaking Miss. World competition- although if it WERE, I'd probably LOSE because Neji thinks that SAKURA is far, faaaaar prettier than ME.

GRR.

Punch, punch, punch. Training dummies are my anti-crack, seriously.

School is just too much, lately. The guy who invented School dances OBVIOUSLY never went to school. He never had to live through the pains of having a pretty-boy bastard as a training partner and a gorgeous best friend.

I am now BITING the training dummy. GOD, that feels good.

* * *

Dinner was surprisingly less stressful than I originally thought. I made it my absolute mission to sit in between Sakura and Neji, and just to my luck, Lee showed up too. So he squeezed in between me and Sakura, despite Naruto and Sasuke's constant complaints - although Sasuke didn't stop complaining, actually. Something really had his goat that evening. He was scowling even before Kiba and Naruto started teasing him.

"So!" I chimed up, happily, not managing to split my chopsticks evenly as usual. "How's everyone getting along for the dance?"

Sasuke shrugged. Sakura blushed in to her lemonade and Kiba and Naruto just started snickering to eachother.

"I have to go," Sasuke grunted through a piece of noodle. "My brother never went and my mother wants to see at least one of her children go."

Sakura giggled, nudging him from across the table. "That sounds like your mom, alright."

"Me and my date are fine," Lee said, forcefully, "But, I sadly regret that I could not ask Sakura to the dance... Before I had the chance, I had already been asked." He gripped Sakura's shoulder, his large eyes glistening.

I rolled my eyes and chewed my food sullenly.

And that was basically the high point of the meal. Yeah. My life's a _blast_.

* * *

Right now, I don't regret having Neji as my training partner. Because we're training - which gives me license to kick the crap out of him if I feel it necessary. Unfortunately for him, I ALWAYS thought it necessary.

And it looked as if Neji was starting to understand how I was feeling, because he certainly looked like the stick up his ass had been rammed even higher in there.

Smack. My heel hit his chin and I flipped out of the embrace quickly before he could get a shot in. He rubbed it gingerly, watching me through curious eyes. I looked away and snatched my towel from the sidelines.

Ugh. He's looking at me like that. I never thought I was that predictable, but Neji can always read me like a book. He's giving me that mocked concerned act, and- shit, here he comes.

"Tell me what's wrong." He said simply, crossing his legs on the seat next to me.

My nose shot in to the air. "Nothing's wrong, stupid. You're just sore because you can't take a kick to the chin."

He raised an eyebrow, observing me a little more. My expression flattened even more.

"You're puckering your brow." He said simply, grabbing my chin and forcing me to look at him. I clenched my eyes closed. "You always pucker your brow when you lie."

"I'll pucker something else if you don't get off me!" I slapped his hand away before he could make a comment on what I was to 'pucker.' What the hell does 'pucker' even mean, anyway??

God, I'm a weirdo.

* * *

Okay, I admit. I am kind of excited.

In a couple hours, it'll be the school dance. And even though there's a chance that Neji might stand me up in front of everyone, just standing here in front of my mirror holding my dress to me is kind of nice. Its pale blue and apparently it goes with my skin tone. I could care less for that, though.

And hearing my mother squeal on the phone about how proud she is and how she's racing home from the airport to see me kind of warms my heart. She's always so busy and she's been away for a while. Six weeks is a long time...

I've made my mind up that I'm going to at least make a little effort. I wore a hat all day through school to keep the curlers in my hair hidden, and I got help from my mother picking out some jewellry - which is a big deal for me. I never wear jewelry.

God, my hair looks awesome. I can't stop playing with it. It's all curled around my ears. If Neji's going to stand me up, at least I'll look freaking hot when he does so.

I'm so vain.

Burgh. My bra is ringing. I snatched my phone out of it... what? I needed somewhere to put my phone and my jeans are too tight. It's called being _practical_.

"Hello?"

"Tenten."

Oh, bugger, it's him.

"You all ready? Do you want me to pick you up?"

"I'll be fine." I said simply, lowering my voice to an uninterested drawl. I buffed my new acrylic nails against my dress. "You just worry about whatever it is you Hyuuga's worry about - whatever or whoever that might be."

A pause.

"Are you okay?"

I pursed my lips. "Of course I am. Why do you ask?"

"You said worry about whatever it is you worry about, and I'm concerned, Tenten. You've been very distant lately. It's been quite peaceful, actually." I opened my mouth to snap back, "But," He said quickly, "That doesn't mean that it's not odd."

"I'm fine," I slavered in the stickiest, sweetest voice I could allow myself to conjure up. "You'd be best not to worry about me. I'm fine."

"...So you don't need picking up?"

"Neji, is your Limo right outside my house?"

"...It might be."

I rolled my hands together, clenching the phone between my ear and shoulder. "Neji, it doesn't start for two whole hours. I'm not even in my dress yet."

I heard him sniff. "I know that, Tenten. Do you think I'm an idiot?"

I buttoned my lip.

"I simply had nothing to do at the Hyuuga estate, and Miss. Hinata was causing a fuss, and my uncle started shouting at me and..."

"...Do you want to come in, Neji?"

"...That would be good, thank you."

* * *

I have known Neji for most of my life and I know that he's not one to get emotional. Not that he's being emotional now, but he's certainly frustrated. I could have sworn he was pouting when I opened the door and dragged him to the living room. Now he's sitting cross-legged on my sofa, stirring his hot chocolate and frowning. Neji doesn't even like sweet things, or at least he said he didn't. I have a feeling it's just an act, though.

"Hinata was causing a fuss?" I asked, breaking the silence. He looked at me with unfocused eyes. "Because that doesn't seem like her at all."

He 'hmphed.' I was even more surprised. "Even though Hinata might be considered quiet, I assure you, she can stir up a problem whether she knows it or not. It's supposedly, according to that _idiot_, one of her "_Moe" _features, for lack of a better word."

I stifled a laugh.

I wonder if Neji knows how funny and cute he looks when he's angry.

"Ever since that moron asked her to the dance, she's taken on his personality."

"...She's pulling pranks and shouting at the top of her lungs?"

He glared at me. "She's being less serious and more irresponsible. Yesterday, she told me that she 'didn't care' whether or not the clan would disapprove of her wearing red!" He stomped one leg in such anger that I saw ripples form in my cup. "What kind of attitude is that? I keep telling her that guy is a bad influence on her."

I leant forward and patted his hand re-assuringly. "Well, I can't say that I don't think that Naruto's a little..." I paused. "_Eccentric_. But Hinata has to grow up sometime - don't frown at me." I warned him.

"I know that she's got to grow up." He sneered back at me. "I just don't think its right for the heir of the family to be so... whimsical. It's bad news. You'll see."

I nodded. "I'm sure I will. Now, if you excuse me, my mother will be home any moment to fuss over me and probably strip me naked at the prospect of 'her little girl' going to a dance. So, unless you want my fist to chemically bond with your face, I'd suggest you get the heck out."

"Yes, sir." He smiled and picked himself up, dusting off his suit tidily. "I'll see you in a couple of hours."

And what happened next caught me off guard. Where's my training dummy.

Neji kissed me.

He kissed me.

Wait. Give me a moment to process this in my mind.

….

WHAT THE HELL? HE KISSED ME.

**THE** HYUUGA NEJI.

**THE** HYUUGA NEJI THAT HAS HIS OWN LITTLE FAN FOLLOWING.

**THE** HYUUGA NEJI THAT I REGULARLY ATTEMPT TO BEAT TO A PULP.

YES. THE VERY SAME.

It wasn't really a kiss, now that I think about it. He kind of just pressed his mouth against my forehead for three seconds.

I would strangle him, but I'd mess up my awesome hair. Side note: Assassinate the Hyuuga prodigy.

Not too hard, no?

* * *

"He kissed you?"

"Yup."

"Neji?"

"Seems like it. But I'm not letting it go to my head. I'm going to ignore it."

"Ah. Okay...So, she was going to strip you naked?" Kiba said in disbelief.

"Yes. If I hadn't kicked her off me, she probably would have."

"Isn't that, like, incest?"

"Probably."

"...And I wasn't there to watch?"

"Zip it." Sasuke snapped before I could rearrange his digestive system. Bastard.

"Hinata-chan was causing a fuss?" Naruto piped up above the thumping of the speakers that we just so happened to be standing next to. Stupid guys.

So, Neji's gone with Hinata to get drinks while the rest of us stand out of the way of the current mosh-pit that was forming in the middle of the hall. Sasuke, dateless to his non-apparent delight, was leaning against the speakers. Naruto and Kiba were on either side of him. Neji only dragged Hinata along to get her away from Naruto for as long as possible, I'm pretty sure. Neji, however, has gone to get me some punch like I ordered. Ahaha... But that doesn't mean I've dumped the whole 'He's going to stand me up for Sakura' theory that I've got going on.

"Apparently." I felt my curled hair self-consciously. "Hinata was supposedly making a fuss, but I don't know how much truth's in it. To be brief, I don't care. I'm more concerned about Sakura-"

"Who IS she going with?" Kiba ranted suddenly. Sasuke started to scowl.

"I have no idea! But, to be honest..." I lowered my voice to as low as I could with them still being able to hear me. Stupid music. "I have a hunch that it's Neji."

I slammed my palm to Naruto's mouth before he could screech. Sasuke simply raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth to drawl, "And on what grounds do you suspect them?"

"Because, it's suspicious. I mean, they've been spending too much time together lately, and Sakura wont look me in the eye when he's with us anymore. And it seems like a Neji thing to do, to be honest."

"Pshh... Come on, Tenten."

"Don't 'Pshh' me!" I waggled an angry finger in the brunette's face. He pouted. "It all fits, you know! Long hair! Older than her!"

"This is _Sakura _we're talking about."

"It's _Hyuuga_." Sasuke added, suddenly to my surprise. I almost fell over at the concept of the Uchiha actually agreeing with me. This feeling carried on even more so as he decided to _elaborate _this statement.

Maybe there is a God.

"Hyuuga's an asshole. Plain and simple."

"This is so rich coming from you." Naruto poked.

"I still don't think Sakura would do it. Her name means Cherry Blossom, for Christ's sake. She's delicate like that."

"Who cares about names??"

"Well, Hyuuga's name means 'Screw.' What difference does that make?"

"...So..." Kiba turned pale for a second. "HE WANTS TO _SCREW _THE _CHERRY-BLO_-"

"...OH, HOLY SHIT ON A-"

"DEAR CHRIST."

"NO."

"I AGREE WITH THE UCHIHA. I, AS HER BEST FRIEND, DON'T APPROVE."

"I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU SAID. JUST NO."

"Thanks, Sasuke. Love you too, bitch."

"…No. Fucking. Way."

"You're not listen- Sasuke, I don't think you -"

"I do not approve."

"Well, I don't either, but-"

"I'm going to snap him in two and make a bed out of his bones."

"Since when do you care?"

"I _don't _care."

I folded my arms. How could I ever think that Sasuke would ever agree with me? No, he's still the same old lumpy fuzz-bag. I've got to learn to stop getting my hopes up. They're just going to get crushed anyway.

"There are worse people for her to go with, Sasuke." Naruto mulled over, softly, completely ignorant to the glare that was given to him seconds after. "Neji's too much of a gentleman to try anything. Heck, Sakura's more likely to jump his..."

But Naruto hushed as finally realized the look that Sasuke was giving him. God, he could really be scary sometimes.

"And," A white hand closed in on Sasuke's shoulder. I swirled round to see-

"Get off me, Hyuuga." Sasuke slapped Neji's hand swiftly off of him.

Neji grinned and took my arm quickly before I could recoil. I scowled and tried to bite him.

"Whilst you continue to gossip about me and my name, which means more of 'Spiral' than 'Screw', idiots," He hummed as Naruto, Kiba and I twitched slightly, "You might want to look out for dear Sakura and her... friend, and pat yourselves on the backs for realizing that there are worse people than Sakura to attend the dance with than me. Anyway. This," He shuffled away, still grinning. I was pulled back with him, and soon was to know why, "Will be a most interesting occasion."

Immediately, I span around, but not fast enough to see the growing expression of hatred, disgust and utter disbelief that had erupted on to Sasuke's face. Sakura had just entered through the doors, blushing at the idea of so many eyes on her. I couldn't blame the crowd, though, since I couldn't look away - not even to laugh at Sasuke's face.

"S-Sakura?"

* * *

Cho. It's done -3- I can return to 3rd person again.

Since I'm proud of myself, and since I feel like it, I'm going to plug my fic. Oh yes, I'm that bad.

It's actually a collection of oneshots called **c o n f e s s i o n a l s **that I have just started writing. Even though I have only posted the first one, I'm starting to regret it because I didn't get any reviews D': Which was, in short, quite distressing.

It'll build up over time, of course. It wont be just one forever... Maybe you should take a look... -tsun- -tsun-

Sa! That's enough ego stroking for me, today! Updates will be slow... I just don't have time any more! Sorryyyy D':


	16. Who Not To Attend A Dance With

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**

LONG CHAPTER LONG CHAPTER LONG CHAPTER. 10,000** WORDS. -IS SO PROUD-**

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I'm going to have a big long chat before I go in to the story, so listen up XD

Sorry that I haven't updated in a while, you guys. You also may have noticed that I have changed my Penname to k i m i - m o n o g a t a r i, after the song. Kaze No Miharu isn't very 'me' and quite frankly, it has no meaning other than being the name of a very, very old and dead OC of mine.

Plus, I love that song ;; Have you guys seen the recent Naruto Shippuden ending? The song is by the almighty Little by Little! Kya!! That is enough to get me squealing, but not only that... it's also Sai-centric!! Prepare to hear me fangirl more over it in the future.

Fangirling... As some of you might know, I am a huge Sai fan, and seeing him in the anime made me cry with delight. No, seriously. I cried. And, fuck, his voice. Sasori's voice was the very **pinnacle** of sexiness, but Sai's is at least 10x better ;; I am not kidding. Tobi's voice annoys me, though. It sounds almost exactly as I pictured Obito's voice to be XD They made him in to an even bigger idiot than he was in the manga D: Aw. You know, I'm really going to have put Tobi in this story now... Tobii-chaaan...

Anyway. Sorry, you guys! I would have had this chapter up sooner, but I started to write it for a while, and when I came to open it next, my computer wouldn't allow me! So, yes, that was a bit of a kick in the mouth!! To lose your work is a troublesome thing...

And, I went to an Anime Convention on the weekend (my first one!), but I'll tell you about that some other time. It was incredible, though!

In other news, I am re-reading Harry Potter Seven. : D I have now got in to the habit of shouting "BY MERLINS PANTS!" when shocked. In other, other news, I just burnt my hand on my lamp TT It really hurts.

**Disclaimer: Guess. Seriously. Just guess. Who owns Naruto. Me, or some guy eating Ramen in Japan, laughing about the diabolical success of his series. It's a tricky one.**

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**We Were Made To Be**

**Chapter 16**

**Who Not To Attend A Dance With**

"

S-Sakura??"

Sakura didn't hear her friends calling out to her, for she was suddenly submerged in a swamp of whispers in the dimly lit hall. She looked to her shoes, trying to make as less of a deal of it as she could allow herself to. She knew why they were staring. She would have probably done the same thing in their position.

She, and a select few of the rest of the hall, knew the severity of the situation at hand. About a third of these select few were standing at the further end of the hall, around the dulled speakers. The conductor of the small band that was taking over from the thumping pop music, it seemed, was also in on it. Their music had been reduced to a tiny hum.

This did not help things.

Sakura decided to take her mother's greatest advice.

_"If people are staring, milk it for all its worth."_

Sakura was in a position that she had not worked herself in to, and if it weren't for her utter naivety and her inability to say 'no,' she wouldn't be in it at all. So, with her nose in the air, she held out her hand. They were taken in another palm, and she walked, tossing her hair bouncily. As she strolled along, the life of the hall seemed to come back.

Until Sasuke had come stomping over to her, followed by Naruto, Kiba and a smirking Neji. Sasuke, Sakura was surprised to see, had actually made somewhat of an effort, despite his apparent lack of a date. Only Uchiha Sasuke could make coming to a dance without an escort look cool. He was wearing expensive suit-_like _attire, with an open collar and a silver chain around his neck. Hanging from the chain, Sakura could see a tiny fan - the Mark for the Uchiha Family. His shoes were shined and his clothes had been pressed, and his windswept head of hair had been combed and styled handsomely and hung against his eyes, framing his long face. He looked _classy_, Sakura thought. The redness of his face wasn't exactly the best sign, though. Sasuke's face hardly ever changed colour. It could have been the mirror ball or a trick of the light, but she was sure that this was not the reason.

"What..." He started, loudly, pointing an outstretched finger in their direction. The population of the hall fell silent again, "The **CRAP **are you doing here??"

* * *

_Sakura was pacing the length of her classroom, mumbling to herself. There was a dark ambience in the room, mostly concentrating around the petite figure that was chewing her acrylic nails nervously._

_Stress and Sakura didn't mix. For anyone who knew anything about her, this was common knowledge. She did stupid things when she was flustered, and the temptation to do something rash now was almost unbearable. The night's impending presence was only making her feel worse. Stupid dances and their habits of being at night..._

_  
That made no sense._

_Sakura was making no sense. _

_She bit her lip._

_The School Dance had been on her mind all week and its incoming date had only made her more and more irritable. She knew she had been ignoring her friends - especially Tenten - because of it, for the fear of snapping and hurting their feelings. Tenten, most evidently, had been scowling a lot more lately. Even Sasuke was passing her a lot more raised eyebrows as she constantly announced, "I have something I have to do" whenever the topic of the School Dance was raised. It was enough to make anybody irritable._

_Though, what made her even more irritable, as it would for any person in the world, was the fact that she didn't actually know who she was going with. _

_There were two possibilities. Both of them were two of the most well known people to the school for being infamously notorious. Neither of the two was going with her because of an undying love for her, like Sakura would have originally hoped - although, now that she considered it, if she wanted to go with someone with an undying love for her, she should have asked Lee. She doubted herself and her intentions. Was she more fickle than she had thought? Did she not want to go with someone who loved her, unless they were appealing?  
_

_Sakura was a teenage girl. Teenage girls + Appealing Teenage boys Yes please. That was teenage logic, even to the clueless Haruno._

_The two possibilities, in her honest opinion, were very appealing._

_  
She was about to implore this further when the door swung open. Flashes of bright light devoured her._

_"N-ne-"_

* * *

Sakura grimaced.

"H-Hi, Sasuke-kun," She waved, feebly; masking her face with the toothiest smile she could conjure. "Nice night for a dance... don't you think?"

He scowled at her. "Spare me the crap, Haruno. What the hell is this?"

"I... I don't know what you're talking about."

"You don't."

"Yes."

"That is absolute bullshit. Stop lying to me."

She blushed. Even the watching teachers perched against the walls of the hall were now watching most curiously. Kakashi actually looked somewhat impressed by the sheer nerve of men by either side of his newest student - After all, it was an event that his boss had been fussing about for months now, and they were ruining it by their tension. It also took a lot of work to get Uchiha Sasuke to speak at all, let alone shout. He tucked his orange book back in to his pocket.

_This _could be a _lot _more interesting.

* * *

_Flash after flash after flash. She was stunned in to a petrified state. When the flashing stopped she could see its source - a small, shiny looking digital camera being cradled in the hands of one perky looking Deidara._

_"Dei- ...Dei-"_

_  
"Deidei?" He smirked, looking down at his camera to the fruits of the flashing. "That's a cute name for me, un. What shall I call you, then?" He looked up at her, his azure eyes glittering. "Aw, Sakura-kun, you look so cute... that dress really suits your skin tone."_

_  
Sakura watched as her sempai fussed over her a while longer, until the darker Itachi walked through the doors, with a dark red jacket slung over one shoulder. Like his companion, he was well dressed per usual - only now, he had traded his pinstripe and his silk tie for a dark, satin shirt._

_Deidara's change was most shocking. Sakura saw and talked him more since he was constantly whisking her away to go shopping or to rant about something or other in such a way that she couldn't understand him. Whenever he did, he was in designer jeans that only made Sakura secretly question his sexuality further. That was Itachi's fault: pointing out his "rather disturbing obsession with Sasori." ...Not that Sakura knew who Sasori was, of course. But Itachi saying this usually ended up with one of Deidara's shoes to his head. Sakura was not convinced. If anything, she was even more traumitised. Seeing him in almost Itachi-like attire was comforting._

_That made no sense._

_  
Sakura was STILL making no sense._

_"Hello, Sakura," Itachi said finally, checking his watch carefully. "How's your evening been?_

_"A-Ah..." She said, straining her head back a bit as the bouncy blonde started playing with her long hair. Deidara happened to remind her of a certain other hyperactive blonde. Sakura sniffed. "It's been... peachy..."_

_"Sakura-kun," Deidara flipped his fringe out of his eye, for it only to fall back automatically. "Are you ready to go?"_

_She pursed her lips and put on her most Tenten-like face. "No, I'm not, as a matter of fact! Actually, I'm far from being able to go, because after a week of your plotting, I still don't know who I'm going with!"_

_A sly grin curled around their faces._

* * *

"N-Now, Sasuke-kun, calm down... Lower your fist-"

"Not until you stop dodging my questions and explain the presence of this..." He looked them up and down in abhorrence, searching for a word, "This _monstrosity _to me!"

The figure to Sakura's left finally budged. He smirked and wrapped a chilling arm around her delicate waist. "Love you too, Sasuke-chan. I see your chicken-ass is doing well for itself."

Sasuke glowered.

The figure to Sakura's... right- yes, right- also smirked and gripped her dainty hand in his. "Now, now, foolish little-"

"YOU BASTAR-"

Naruto coughed, "Calm down, Sasuke." He raised his arm, pulling on Sasuke's shoulder a little to stop him from pummeling the men by Sakura's side. No one else dared to speak to him. Neji looked happier than Sakura had ever seen him in her life, his glazed eyes flicking from one man to the other.

Two men.

Yes, the _two _men.

In fact, the two men that Sasuke hated most in the world were in the same room as him, grinning down at him, both with one of Sakura's hands in hers.

"WHAT. THE. HELL." Sasuke roared finally. Sakura flinched. "ITACHI."

Sasuke's hands were trembling with anger.

Itachi smirked and ran a long, white finger down Sakura's porcelain arm. Deidara did the same, watching Sasuke's growing expression of hatred. "You called, little brother?"

"Yes, actually," He spat through gritted teeth. This was most likely a precaution to stop him from biting the two of them. "What the hell you doing here? AND STOP DOING THAT." He pointed to their traveling fingers running up and down Sakura's arms. She looked like a beetroot; smothered in soft, pink cotton candy.

"Sasuke, I don't see what the problem is." Sakura said, finally, attempting to wipe away the blush across her face.

"You've got two dates, Haruno,"

"And _you've _got _none_." She pointed out, narrowing her eyes in such a way that Neji's aura slowly clouded her vision. "I'm just compensating for _your _lack of one. Now, if you'll excuse us, Sasuke,"

The two men turned around, leading her away - one gabbling incessantly and the other silent and sneering. Sasuke watched them walk for a moment before noticing that Kiba and Naruto were both mumbling about him. He ignored.

"They're rubbing off on her." He announced finally.

Kiba and Naruto both coughed at how this sentence was phrased. He noted them both off as noisy perverts.

"She just called me Sasuke."

"...That's your name, isn't it?"

"She usually calls me 'Sasuke-kun.'" He folded his arms. "They're going to morph her in to one of _them_. I can't deal with one of _them _in my class all the time. I'll go insane."

Kiba and Naruto decided to miss this chance to make a wise crack about Sasuke's sanity. Instead they kind of drifted from side to side looking at the floor until Tenten set the example and dragged Neji over to dance. Naruto slowly followed and gripped Hinata's hand and led her over afterwards. Kiba, not surprisingly, stayed back as a throng of pretty girls almost instantly surrounded Sasuke.

Because after Sasuke brushed them all off, they'd settle for the next best thing. Kiba grinned.

"Pimp." Sasuke growled.

Meanwhile, whilst the others slowly mingled beneath the glittering mirror ball and the band stirred up once more in to a jazzy piece, Sakura was being accompanied by her two dates. They both, it seemed, had no intention of dancing, and to be honest, Sakura had no complaints about this. For, dancing with two people would prove to be incredibly difficult. Instead, they were talking to some of the older students that remembered Itachi and Deidara and appreciated them. Itachi, Sakura was slowly realizing, was there not only to torment his little brother, but also to strike up business deals with other wealthy heirs to big companies. Deidara seemed a lot less inclined to do so. Sakura knew he wasn't in to that kind of them. He hung behind Itachi with both arms wrapped around Sakura. Sakura, once again, had no complaints about this either.

Though, she could see Sasuke glaring at Deidara from the corner of her eye. She frowned a little and spun on her foot - her angry face quickly transcribing to fake-bliss.

"Deidei-sempai, do you want to dance with me?" She swung back to front from toe to heel, gripping his gloved hands in hers. He looked taken aback for a split second, but this was immediately replaced with a grin.

"So, you can dance, Sakura-kun?"

"Naturally. I wonder if you can keep up with me?"

He let out a low chuckle before offering her a silk-encased arm. She took it graciously and allowed herself to be pulled in to a quick foxtrot - much unlike the made-up rabbles that some of the people had conjured on the spot. Naruto, it seemed, was one of these people, for he was blown away as Sakura quickly apologized for brushing past him and then swiftly disappeared again behind her tall, blonde partner seconds after. Sakura was now starting to enjoy herself, until she felt a tap on her back. She turned her head about to see Tenten and Neji beside them, dancing just as fast paced as the two of them. Tenten was waving with a somewhat shocked expression.

"Heya, Sakura!" She squeaked, before twirling under Neji's arm and appearing again a moment later. "So... He's your date huh? Ahaha..." She grinned nervously. "Well... he's certainly got long hair... and he's older than you?"

"Eighteen. My clues were true, ne?" She beamed back.

"Mind if I...?" Neji held her hand out to Sakura suddenly. The two girls looked at eachother shortly before switching partners and ricocheting off in opposite directions. Neji, as Sakura had expected, was an able dancer and speedily led her back and forth.

"So, Sakura." He started, coolly. "I'm sure you're aware of your situation?"

She didn't smile back. "I wouldn't call it a situation. I'd call it an awkward moment."

"So you're not aware of the fact that you walked in to one of the most prestigious moments of the school calendar with the two biggest mischief makers in the Academy's history on each arm?"

"N-No..." She hesitated at this unexpected rebuttal. He bent down slowly until his chin brushed her bare shoulder.

"Then, I'm sure you would at least know of the so-called 'Rivalry of the Uchiha Brothers?'" He murmured in to her ear. "Not to mention the fact that both Sasuke and Deidara are on much, much less than 'Speaking Terms.' If I were you, I'd watch where you stepped in the future. I gave my word that I'd look out for you, but there are some things I can't do."

He straightened up and swung her about for a second. When she returned, she narrowed her eyes at him again. Wisps of green were emerging from his face like she expected them to. "What do you mean 'things you can't do?'"

"Well, of course," He managed a tiny smile, "I'm only a Branch member... The Hyuuga family is the noblest house in Konoha only _after _the Uchiha. Our households don't like to get on the wrong sides of eachother - even if we could easily conquer them with our... special element." He chose his words gingerly. "And Deidara's family, I know, are a foreign and rich one. They have many ties with the Rock Country - a fearsome family, indeed. And besides..." He lowered his voice again. "Deidara is not _so _different from you and I as I originally believed."

"That aside, Sakura said, quickly, straying from the path. "My original question remains?"

"Basically, I promised myself and your mother that I'd look after you." He said, quickly. Sakura could not implore about her mother, for he carried on swiftly, "And if you were to get in to a predicament between Sasuke and Deidara, I would not be able to help you freely because of my family position - now if you'll excuse me-'

And he twirled her backwards, where she was caught in the hands of her original partner. Tenten had returned back to Neji and the couple had trotted behind the crowd again. Deidara looked down at Sakura expectantly. "So? What did he want?"

"Oh, just to chat..." She waved her hand happily.

The band slowed to a steady, more harmonious song. All the couples that had pranced about eagerly to the music stopped. After a moment of awkwardness for some and overwhelming eagerness for others, they took their partner in arms and swayed from side to side, lovingly staring in to the other's eyes. Naruto was doing the same as Hinata timidly placed her hands on his shoulders - both their faces were a magnificent scarlet hue. Tenten had grabbed Neji's scowling chin and pulled it towards her, cradling his face in her hands. Kiba too, it seemed, had picked up one of Sasuke's more visually appealing dejected fans and was looking pleased with himself. The girl, as well, looked somewhat smug.

Sakura looked around at the peaceful dance partners, and couldn't help feel somewhat guilty. Chewing her lip softly, she placed her hands on his wrists and pushed them down off her hips, gripping them in mid-flight. He watched her, confusedly, still with the same smirk on his face. She sighed.

Deidara led, of course, and they danced in circles for a while, just talking. Sakura's impression of Deidara always seemed to harden whenever she had an in-depth conversation with him. He was an idiot. A very pretty idiot, who Sakura couldn't help but like. She looked up, and saw that Sasuke was approaching - or rather, they were about to dance past him. Sasuke was the one standing still. Sakura almost broke free to go and talk to him, but Deidara only grabbed her tighter, smirking at him as they went by. The hatred in Sasuke's eyes was evident, and it was one that sent shivers down Sakura's spine.

"Deidara-sempai? Why-"

"Aww," He pouted, but still managed a somewhat sly air to himself. He took Sakura's face between his thumb and finger, "Have you forgotten? Its 'Deidei' remember?"

Sakura rolled her eyes, "Okay, then _Deidei_. Why do you hate Sasuke-kun so much?"

He didn't reply. He only slackened his hand around her a little. She continued.

"Because neither you nor Itachi-sempai are here because you like me or because you want to be with me, right? You're only here because you hate Sasuke-kun and want to annoy him by being near him in a place where he can't get away from."

Sakura turned round to face him. His smirking face was no longer present - only replaced by a pair of dulled, blue eyes and a blank expression. Itachi had not heard them, for he was still deep in conversation with the daughter of the owner of a transportation company away from the dancers.

It pained her to admit it, but she finally said, with glossy eyes and said, "I thought I was indifferent to this whole thing, but I guess I'm not. I... I don't want it to be like this. Your presence is hurting one of my friends, and I wouldn't mind so much if it was because we were in love or something, but if not..."

She sniffed and rubbed her exposed arms, knowing that both Neji and Tenten were listening to her embarrassedly and watching her attempt to blink away tears.

"If not, then I don't really want to be here... I can't help but feel untruthful because of it... Deidara-san, can we leave?"

He said nothing. He sort of half nodded, before stripping off his jacked and sliding it over her arms. They both walked off the floor to where Itachi was standing. Deidara grabbed him by the ear and pulled him out the grand doors before Itachi even had a chance to hand the girl a business card.

"What's wrong?" Itachi breathed, only asking because he had been brought up to, not because he wanted to. "I was just in the middle of an important discussion, and - let go of my ear."

He did so, but not without scowling. Itachi looked at him.

"...I thought you _wanted _to come here. This was all your idea, after all, you're the one who wanted to torment Sasuke-"

"I DID want to come." He frowned, one arm still curled around Sakura. "But not if it causes my client to be upset. That's not what a manager does."

"Are you sure you count as a manage-" But he slowed as he saw the increasing glare from his business partner. For the sake of business, at least, he felt the need to move on. "...I thought Sakura had nothing against it."

"I didn't have anything against it," She said quietly. "But, I decided. I didn't want to go to one of these things if all I was doing was making someone feel bad. That's not what I do. I'm sorry if I cut off your business meeting, Itachi."

Both of them watched her for a moment as the sound from the hall was challenged by the collapse of the coming rain.

* * *

"Young miss?" Satomi, the housekeeper, peeped from around a corner, holding a tray of dirty dishes and watching as her youngest mistress entered through the front doors, her head covered by a man's jacket. A tall, handsome young man with drenched, blonde hair was supporting her from her arm. He had an umbrella under his arm, but appeared to not have noticed it's being there. "W-What are you doing back so early? Your dance doesn't stop for another hour or so! G-Goodness Gracious! You both looked like drowned rats!"

"I felt ill, so we came back." Sakura said, quietly and began to pull her escort in a little more. "Oh... Satomi, this is Deidara-san. Deidara-san, our housekeeper Satomi."

He nodded silently, before craning his neck downwards to her ear and saying something secret in to it.

"Deidara-san and I are going to go and talk in private in the living room." She announced, weaving her arm out of his and handing him the jacket that lay on her back. They both disappeared in to the next room over, leaving a confused housekeeper and a few eavesdropping maids behind them.

The living room was warm, unlike Sakura, who had still managed to get completely soaked. Deidara, of course, was even wetter, but he either hadn't noticed, or simply had bigger things to worry about. They walked in unbreakable silence to the arrangement of sofas.

"Please, sit, Deidara-san." Sakura uttered finally. He didn't.

"Don't call me that." He answered back, turned to look at her. She didn't turn back.

"I'm sorry. Deidei, then."

"I don't care what you call me, just not that. It's too formal. It makes it sound as if I'm not a friend."

She still didn't say anything. She only turned and took a place on the furthest end of the couch. He looked at her, crestfallen, for a second, finally coming to terms with her purposeful stillness.

"I _am _a friend, aren't I, Sakura?"

She wiped her sodden face with her already wet arm. He said nothing - only dismally sitting next to her. Nothing was said and nothing was passed for minutes, until one of them finally spoke.

"I'm sorry." He said, resting on his knees. "I was caught up in hating Sasuke that I didn't notice it was hurting you."

"You don't have to apologize." Sakura looked up to him. "It's not in your nature to do it. I mean, I've only noticed you for a small time, but you always act so... thoughtless." She said, with no ill meanings, though Deidara frowned a little more.

Deidara straightened up and held his hand out to her. "Why don't we start over? Forget everything we knew about eachother."

She looked at it for a second, before smiling and taking it. "Sure."

"_Especially _those wise cracks about me and Sasori. Untrue and fucking disgusting, you got it?"

Sakura beamed. "Who's Sasori?"

He smirked.

"Deidara."

"My name's Haruno Sakura."

"I'm eighteen years old and I... like art, un."

"I'm sixteen and I like music and being with my friends."

"Am I your friend?"

"Of course! And you're my manager, though I doubt we'll actually get round to anything manager-like."

"From left and right, through thick and thin, as the colour black fades to grey we will remain to paint the world white."

"Blue to scarlet, in the north we find eternity as dawn- wait, WHAT?"

He did not watch her shocked face and wavering hands as he buffed his gloves against his sodden shirt. Deidara's face was as smug and sly as she had always remembered it to be, and when he finally looked back at her, he could see the full extent of her shock.

_"And Deidara's family, I know, are a foreign and rich one. They have many ties with the Rock Country - a fearsome family, indeed. And besides..." He lowered his voice again. "__**Deidara is not so different from you and I as I originally believed**__."_

Stupid Neji and his cryptic clues.

Sakura gawped like a fish before finally hardening her gaze and squinting. It was gradual, but a dark blue hue spiked up and crumbled about him in a way that Neji's aura did not. Still, it was strong and quite overwhelming. She blinked it off.

"You didn't tell me!" She shouted, pummeling his arm with tiny fists. He chewed his tongue, pretending not to care. "Deidara, you prat! How long have you known?? Longer than me, no doubt!"

"Stop that, idiot." He flicked her forehead and delighted in her scowling. "Don't call me a prat. It's not cute."

She pursed her lips and gave him a final kick to the shin before giving him to a very confused Satomi to set on his way.

* * *

She sat alone in the darkness, her pretty face and clear eyes illuminated by only the screen of a cell phone. The room was cold and had little furniture. The most ornate object around was a portrait of a handsome looking man that hung on the wall, contained in a frame made of gold. The man was young... with clouded features. Only one eye was visible - and it was dark. Dark and full. Her fair-coloured gaze was fixed on the screen of her gadget, and upon typing in the number; she flicked back her long hair and fell back in to a hill of pillows. A ring. Another ring. A deep voice.

"Yeah?"

A smile appeared in the form of a pair of full lips. "Sasuke-kun?"

"...Who's calling?"

She laughed, and rolled over, curling tresses of hair over her shoulder. "Someone close, Sasuke-kun. Someone close. You needn't worry. I just have a few questions to ask you."

"Who is this?" His voice hardened. She smiled, examining a set of perfect nails. "I warn you. My family is elite. We have the World's Police Force on our side, and can easily track you down."

That same ringing laugh. "Oh, Sasuke-kun. I love you and your naivety. You think someone outside an elite family would have been able to pick up your number? Your cell phone number, no less."

A pause.

"So, what do you think of Haruno Sakura?"

Another pause. She sat up, smiling.

"Why do you care what I think of her? Who is this?" He repeated again.

"Don't you think she's... different from the two of us?"

"She's an idiot, if that's what you mean."

"Don't you wonder if she had a secret?"

"No, I don't."

"Don't you wonder why she turned up with those two?? Do you think she's in love with them?"

"What Haruno does or who she loves is no concern of mine." Sasuke answered sternly, to her delight. "Moreover, stop bothering me about such trivial issues. I don't care who she goes out with."

"Do you care about _her_, though?"

A pause.

"Is this some kind of joke? Are you stupid?"

"On the contrary, Sasuke-kun," She smiled, bringing the phone away from her face and looking in to its bright frame. "I'm pretty smart. Well, I'll be in touch. Goodbye, Sasuke-kun..."

"Wait, who is this??"

She licked her lips, and before he could answer, she switched off the phone, took out the SIM card and snapped it in two with a tiny 'crack.' As the ghost of the error blinked on to the screen, two bare, naked legs crossed and entwined in the dim light. She drummed her fingers against her knees.

"What now?"

* * *

The moment any student set foot inside the school, they were immediately shepherded to the auditorium and added to the number of confused students. Sakura was one of these students, and she was currently in the middle of a bunch of students who she didn't recognize as Tsunade stood on the stage, talking to one of the teachers out of the microphone's reach. No one seemed to know what was going on. On craning her neck, she could see that the rest of the teachers were gathered on the stage, watching their boss from the back. Kakashi, for once, was not reading his book. Sakura gulped. This meant trouble.

"Good morning, everyone." Tsunade said, coolly clutching the microphone. Sakura had never seen Tsunade talk to the whole school before, but she looked experienced. She didn't expect people to greet her back, which was good, because they didn't. "Did any of you manage to watch the 7 o' clock news this morning?

Sakura heard a tall boy scoff beside her.

"Commoner news." A girl whispered to her friend.

"Well, then, I'm afraid I'm going to have to show you something that worried me this morning." She carried on as all the teachers moved forward. A large sheet was descending from the ceiling, and the room was dimmed - causing random squealed that both shocked Sakura and made her groan. A beam of light from a projector overhead started to extend from the ceiling. The room fell silent as the face of an anchorwoman flickered on to the screen. Sakura felt the sweat on her forehead turn cold as the 3 words 'Regi Rampage Returns' ran across the picture. More mumbling started, but quickly calmed again once the woman started to speak.

"_Reports on the Regi menace have been sprouting all over the country. The Regi, a failed experiment, who have managed to keep their heads down for twenty years are gradually being found again as more and more outbreaks occur._

_"Scientists studies on Regi are becoming increasingly thin. Not only is it impossible to find a Regi without them revealing themselves, but also having one containing proves to be difficult. We now turn to Dr. Misora, the head of the Regi research program, for more details_."

The scenery switched, and now a man in his late forties was visible on screen, wearing a business suit with a white coat over it. Instead of showing a sort of conference, like Sakura was expecting, the man was speaking directly to the camera.

_"I have been asked by the government to speak to the general public and notify them about the growing Regi threat. I have studied the Regi for many years now, and even my research team have not found a way to identify Regi, though we believe that the Regi have a way of notifying eachother. How they do this, though, is currently unknown. We suspect some form of telekinesis."_

Sakura almost snorted.

_"We advise you to act with caution, but remember not to panic! That is the absolute key! Most Regi are harmless unless provoked! Our negative image of them is because of the S.O.U.N.D's influence! _

_  
"We know that the Regi have interbred with our species." _

Saying this caused a number of disgusted noises from around the crowd.

_"So, quite frankly, anyone around you could be one. YOU could be one, and not notice it!_

_"Although we have no way to identify the Regi, there are a number of things we can assume. Regi were made to be attractive - incredibly so. This, however, doesn't mean that you should be accusing every pretty girl you see a Regi. Regi were built to be both physically and mentally superior. The way their brains work is different to ours. They can figure out problems easier. It can be assumed that because of this, they have been able to fit in to our society. It can also be assumed that Regi families will be wealthy - with their superior knowledge, this is an easy task-"  
_

And with that said, the lights flashed back on and Tsunade returned to the stage. She looked at the crowd. They looked back.

She narrowed her eyes at the unexpected silence. "Well..." She scanned the crowd. "There... you have it..."

The rumble of the fearful fell to Sakura's ears. Screaming and loud talking in amongst eachother. She had to block out her ears before Tsunade roared down the microphone. Everyone fell silent.

"I assure you," She said again, pacing the length of the stage, glaring at the faced looking up at her. "The Regi in this room are nothing to be feared-"

"There are Regi in the room?? Let me out!!"

"Oh man, we go to school with them??"

"I bet that Uchiha's one! He's way too perfect to be a normal human!"

"Wanna try that again, _fucktard_?! I'm sure it'll be just as _funny _the second time!" Sakura heard Sasuke's voice boom to her far right. Again, a scream from Tsunade was enough to command silence again.

"This is no time to be accusing eachother. Of course there are Regi in this room! As a teacher," She placed a thoughtful hand on her chest, "And after you see thousands of students, day in day out, you start to realize that some people are extraordinary. Now, the teachers and I have taken in to account the people we know to be Regi, and have deduced a percentage."

Sakura groaned. Tsunade looked as if she was ad-libbing the whole thing.

Tsunade paused for prominence. "7 percent, and still growing, soon to be 8 percent."

"You mean that 8 people out of 100 are Regi?" She heard a female voice cry. It was strangely familiar, though Sakura couldn't put her finger on it. "But that's so high! There must be at least one in every class!"

"That is correct." Tsunade said, blankly. "I only brought you hear to warn you. We, essentially, are the targets. The media is targeting the rich. So, I want to tell you to take extreme caution when entering and exiting the school and when you're out in public. Got it? But most importantly. Most Regi are completely harmless. They are nothing to be feared. If there were any with any ill intentions, they would have already joined the S.O.U.N.D. by now."

The crowd was let out again, and Sakura spent the rest of the morning blushing and worrying about who would accuse her first. Sasuke still wasn't exactly on speaking terms with Sakura because of the day previous, but he seemed to appreciate it after she had scolded the group of older boys who came by his locker at lunch to accuse him. He had nodded in thanks before stalking off elsewhere.

Neji was pretty much the only person Sakura wanted to see - so she could ask his opinion on the matter. And she'd call Deidara after school and tell him too. He'd have a pretty colorful perspective of it-

"Haruno!"

She froze and swung about to see a girl running after her. She had just been setting out to canteen at Lunch when she had been called, and now a taller girl with sweeping blonde hair seemed to be sprinting with all her might to meet her. As she approached even closer, she recognized the girl as one of Ume's friends - A Sasuke fan, though she more so knew her as the girl she had knocked over accidentally during dodge ball before. Sakura knew her to be in the other class, and had heard Tenten speak of her. This was the first time Sakura had seen her without her throng of friends.

Sakura watched her bend over to catch her breath, but when she snatched her wrist, Sakura immediately recoiled. She pulled her back cautiously.

"Don't worry." She said, plainly, straightening up. Sakura shuffled her feet a little and looked away. The girl's shirt was pretty low cut, so when she bent over, Sakura got an eye full of dark-purple bra. "I don't bite, you know."

Sakura laughed sheepishly. "Yeah... It's I-Ino, right?"

"That's right!" She managed a tiny smile. "And you're Haruno! And I want to ask you some things... can we go somewhere in private?"

Sakura looked around. "But... there's no one around. Oh-" She stepped away. "Did Ume send you to do something?"

Ino scoffed and folded her arms. "Ume's not exactly the type to plot. She's an idiot, basically."

Sakura's expression burst and flattened. Even though this girl wasn't in her class, she was often in there when Sasuke was ambushed. It usually ended with Ino and Ume talking to eachother... they seemed quite close. "A-Ah... so you don't like Ume!"

"What? Of course I do!" Ino said cheerily, spinning on her stiletto heel. "She's one of my best friends."

"...I see."

"But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about, Sakura... Can I call you Sakura? Oh whatever. Sakura." She grabbed Sakura's hand in hers, apparently trying to search for the right words. Sakura watched her curiously. Her hand was soft. "You..."

"...Yes?" Sakura edged forward.

"Are... are you a Regi??"

Sakura felt the ground lurch from beneath her. She snatched her hand away from Ino, her heart flying around her chest like a caged bird. "W-What?? How could you- no! No, of course not! How could you even a-accuse me of that?! Look, I have to go! I have to meet Naruto and-"

"Sakura, I know you are." She said, with a much more helpless expression. "Look, I mean you no harm! My uncle's one - I support you guys more than anyone! Wait- Sakura-"

"D-Don't call me that! Only my friends call me that! My friend's wouldn't accuse me..." She slurred to a stop. Ino had grabbed her hand again to stop her from running. Sakura shook slightly, before looking up at the blonde with eyes full of melancholy. She replied with dual emphasis.

"I'm not like them." Ino said, in full confidence, tightening her hand. "I honestly want to protect you.

She squinted. No aura revealed itself. Ino's pretty face was just as clear as it was before.

"...Is it really that obvious?"

As Ino shrugged, Sakura felt her sense of balance fall in to a downwards spiral. A sense of betrayal started to well in the pit of her guts, and the next thing she felt was the brush of grass against the back of her neck. Ino sat next to the smaller girl, still gripping her hand tightly. A moment passed, all of which Sakura was looking up at Ino in admiration.

Ino wasn't a Regi, but she could have been. Her hair pushed past her arms in the breeze and hung against her shoulders like a golden veil. Part of it hung over her right eye, which only made her left stand out even more. A pale blue. She was so thin, yet she obviously had a lot more chest than Sakura. She felt over her own with her free hand, sighing in exasperation at her lack. She keeled back suddenly as Ino gave a small laugh. She wondered if she had seen her supposed 'check-up' but was relieved when she saw Ino looking the opposite way, wearing a smile coated with sugared lip-gloss.

"You know, Haruno..." She looked back at the rose-coloured girl fondly. "I'm actually glad you pounded me with that dodge ball in P.E. a while back." She smiled again as Sakura blushed and mumbled poorly assembled apologies under her breath. "If you hadn't I would never have been able to figure out you were one, and I would never have felt as good about myself as I do now." She laced her fingers together and pulled the smaller girl up.

Sakura smiled and gladly gave Ino her hand, resting her forehead against the taller girl's so only she could hear her. "You can call me Sakura, Ino-chan. And you know," Her eyes flickered upwards. A spectacular clash of jade on cobalt, "I'm entrusting you with my secret... You're my secret keeper, okay...?"

"Ehfh? Sakugha-changh?"

Sakura blinked and turned around to see both Naruto and Kiba. Naruto's face was full of both confusion and half a hamburger. Kiba's eyes were wide and his brow, raised.

"Oh, dear Christ." Kiba shook his head. "She's done it, Naruto. Spent too much time with that Chicken-head and turned gay. Sasuke won't be pleased."

"Shut your face, dog breath!" Ino snapped, letting Sakura's hand loose finally and standing up. "And don't talk about Sasuke-kun like that!"

Sakura too got to her feet, smiling. "I don't think Sasuke wants to talk to me right now, anyway. Not after the little incident yesterday. And anyway. Sasuke's not homophobic, is he?"

Kiba snickered loudly and Naruto glowered deathly at him through a half-chewed mouthful, gargling something in Kiba's direction that sounded an awful lot like 'Don't you dare.'

"Well..." Kiba carried on gleefully, regardless of Naruto's glare. "Sasuke's been a bit iffy on same sex kissing ever since seventh grade, after his little mouth to mouth session with Uzumaki here." He patted his friend on the back. Naruto looked like he was going to throw up.

Ino groaned, massaging her temple as if a bad smell had wafted around her. "I remember that. Unfortunately." She added, cracking her knuckles tenaciously.

Naruto finally managed to swallow the remainder of burger in time to protest loudly. "Unfortunately for who? You?? You didn't have to kiss Sasuke - ugh. I'm the poor bastard who had to! And I accidentally licked the guy - can you believe that?? Gross! Ugh, he had nacho breath! I cannot enjoy the comfort of cheese anymore because of..." But he trailed off slowly to an embarrassed hum after he saw the growing look of absolute disgust and fury on Ino's face. "Yeah... let's go, Sakura-chan. Tenten was looking for you."

"Kay!" Sakura said, cheerily, but instead of stretching her arm to the boys, she reached towards Ino who was just about to turn and go on her way. "Ino-chan! Come and eat lunch with me, okay?"

Ino surveyed the skinny arm carefully before taking it and nodding coolly. Naruto and Kiba shrugged at eachother before leading the way to their tree next to the sports field. Tenten, Neji, Hinata and Sasuke were already there. Sai, to Sakura's surprise, was also there, his nose in a sketchbook with his pencil furiously scratching against the paper. Tenten, it seemed, was about to scold Sakura's tardiness, but stopped as soon as she saw Ino strung on to Sakura's arm looking confident.

"Can Ino-chan eat with us today?" Sakura half-asked, half-sung to the rest of them with a tone that screamed that she wouldn't take no for an answer. Ino smiled smugly, tossing a bag full of her lunch in her free hand, smiling sweetly as she noticed Sasuke leaning against the tree.

Tenten paused and nodded, smiling nervously. "A-ah. Hi, Ino... How are you?"

Ino answered back, smiling politely and pulling Sakura over to the tree, where they both sat. Ino sat beside Sasuke's legs, happily digging in to a pasta salad and chattering loudly. Sasuke looked towards the sky, eating an apple and, surprisingly, looked like he was paying attention to Ino in some way. Ino seemed to be absolutely flattered because of it, and talked all the more.

Sakura sat beside her, giving input from time to time, but it was Naruto and Kiba who answered Ino the most. Sakura was surprised she hadn't seen it before. Ino was like a female version of Naruto. The way they talked was almost uncanny - both loud and outspoken. Ino was just without the 'Jesus complex' as Tenten described so frequently. In fact, Tenten was about to take the space beside Sakura as her own, when Sai unexpectedly landed beside her so lightly that Sakura almost didn't hear it at all. Ino was completely oblivious, and squeaked in surprise as she saw the pretty boy beside her newest friend.

Tenten looked at Sai with disgust. "Sai. You're in my seat. Move."

Sai didn't even grace Tenten by looking up. "Oh, really? I didn't notice. Your name's not on it. You should be more cautious of your belongings."

Tenten growled, and Ino let out a tiny giggle and blushed as he glanced over to her with dark, dark eyes. Sai looked back to his sketchbook before popping another dumpling in to his mouth.

"Sit down, Tenten." Neji said coolly from behind her. Hinata nodded quietly in agreement, not looking at her. Her eyes were elsewhere.

Tenten folded her arms and fell to the ground in a heap. "I hate all of you people. You're all jerks. Especially you, bastard."

"I'm crying inside. Really. I am."

A week or so passed, and Sakura was relieved to know that she and Sasuke were slowly falling back in to contact. He had asked to borrow her pencil in math instead of simply taken Naruto's. This time Naruto had shielded his pencil case with his body, so he asked Sakura. He had asked politely too - not just demanded like he usually did. Sakura felt strangely touched.

Ino and Sakura were growing closer and closer, which was something which suited Sakura a lot. Ino seemed to take a liking to Tenten as well, although Tenten was less enthusiastic than the pretty blonde. And speaking of pretty blonds, Deidara had been texting a lot more, though it seemed to be only to annoy her - which it did. Especially when if did it during lessons. It was starting to tick Naruto and Kiba off as well, because whenever a phone's vibrate went off in class, everyone automatically looked at them.

Nevertheless, Sakura's life was on an all-time high.

And when she entered the school bright and early like she always did, he was there in the hallways digging inside his locker. He looked at her, and nodded in greeting.

"Morning, Sasuke." She smiled, waving a tiny hand to him. "You look well. Thank you for getting more sleep like I asked you too. It's good to see you taking care of yourself."

He smirked unexpectedly. "That was weird."

Sakura shrugged. "Oh, and Sasuke?"

He grunted to show he was listening.

"I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings at the dance."

He looked at her in surprise, but it soon dwindled to the same blank look that all Uchiha seemed to possess. Even Sasuke's mother had the look when she was deep in thought.

"You were so angry because they showed up and you looked so sad when we danced past you, and it was all my fault. I'm so sorry..."

He gave another grunt and rolled his shoulders indifferently. "I couldn't care less. I was pissed off to see them both. Anyway." Sasuke seemed to have trouble saying the next bit. He paused. "Itachi said that it was their idea, not yours."

Sakura stood dumbfounded.

Yes. It was 100 percent their idea. Yes, they were nasty bastards for suggesting it in the first place, but this was something that Sakura had never expected Sasuke's elder brother to do. It was alien, even.

Sasuke stood still for a second. He turned his head to the end of the hallway and asked, "Can you hear something?"

Sakura stopped to listen. The sound of faint voices seemed to be entering the building from outside. They paused and poked their heads round the door, to see a small crowd of students crowding around the south gates to the school. Sasuke started to walk towards it - Sakura following after him.

As they approached the gathering, a large black van because visible. The common assembly was starting to look and sound more and more like an uproar. Sasuke narrowed his eyes and pulled Sakura closer beside him.

"Something's up." He declared softly, prowling closer. Sakura trotted next to him curiously.

On closing in even more, it became increasingly obvious that Sasuke was right. Something was definitely wrong. Temari's deep, demanding voice could be heard over the crowd, roaring abuse to an unknown someone. Sasuke frowned as he tried to see over the crowd by pushing down some other people, but realized this was futile. They doubled back a little bit to the outer school wall. Sasuke neatly hopped up as Sakura watched in disbelief. He looked down at her expectantly.

"What." He drawled. "You want to see, don't you?"

"The wall is a foot taller than me, Sasuke." Sakura said, carefully locking away the urge to shatter the wall and Sasuke with it for being taller than her. Sasuke, it seemed, was teasing her.

Fucking brilliant.

"Can you see what's going on?" Sakura asked after refusing Sasuke's offer to help her up. He had been sneering at her, so she passed.

"Someone's come in to the school asking questions about particular students." Sasuke said, boredly. "Something to do with this stupid Homo Regi thing."

Sakura flushed.

"Apparently," Sasuke continued, sliding down the wall and landing on his feet perfectly. "One of them accused Temari or something, and now she's going apeshit. Can we go now?"

Sakura cursed him under her breath. He was the one who had led her down there in the first place, but irregardless, she left with him.

* * *

Left. Right. Left. Right.

Sakura flicked her pencil from side to side across her desk in boredom. Sasuke's hands were folded across his face, fixed on the figure of the man that sat on his desk, awkwardly staring back at his lack of a class. Their grand total was six.

"So." Kakashi-sensei said for the fifth time. "Nobody knows at all where they are?"

"No." The class answered.

"You're sure that they haven't gone to some elaborate party and haven't invited you because you're not cool enough?"

"Sasuke's still here." Sakura pointed out, as well as the absence of the whole class's fangirl population. Kakashi nodded slowly, taking a particularly big gulp of coffee.

"...You're sure-"

"Kakashi, if you're so worried, why don't you go and look for them instead of annoying the rest of us?" Sasuke pointed out loudly, swinging back in his chair. He spoke to Kakashi as if he was a piece of dirt, yet Kakashi seemed used to it. He had no complaints.

"Now, Sasuke, if I did that, it would be leaving you unattended, thus abusing my job as a-"

Kakashi didn't have a chance to finish lying about his intentions, for Hinata burst through the door with such unrealistic force that they half-expected the cold wood of the door to crumple like paper. At first it looked as if she was in a hurry to get to class after being late and had simply got the wrong classroom, but it was obvious to everyone in a split second that this was not the case. Her long, midnight hair was messed and flyway. Her face was red, and once she lifted her head again, the marks of a million tears streaked across her face. Not only this, but a long, bloodied gash passed across her white face.

"Miss. Hinata," Kakashi said, walking to the girl hurriedly. "What on earth-"

"N-NARUTO-KUN!" She screamed immediately. Sakura had never heard Hinata scream before. It was bloodcurdling. Her screams were riddled was harsh breathing and terrible, unbearable stress and sadness. "THEY'VE GOT NARUTO-KUN! O-OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL GATES! T-THERE'S A GROUP OF VANS AND THEY TOOK NARUTO-KUN! THERE'S A BIG FIGHT! NEJI-NII-SAN AND-" But by this point, her screaming was incoherent and masked by the flood of tears that started to roll down her face.

Sakura felt her heart fall straight to the floor. She felt it stop and start again. She looked at Sasuke. He was already looking at her with the same amount of fear that she had only seen once before, on a cold and rainy night.

"Sensei!" Ino ran in after Hinata with the same expression of fear that everyone except Kakashi seemed to have. She seemed to be so flustered that she almost "I just told Asuma-sensei's class! Naruto and Gaara-! They took them inside the vans and Orochimaru-"

"Orochimaru??" Kakashi yelled. Every flinched. "Is it another invasion??"

"I-I don't know! But he's taken them and the vans are armoured and everyone's screaming- They need you there, Kakashi-sensei!"

"I was just going, Ino. You stay here." He pointed to all of them in turn as they instantly rose to follow him before dashing through the door with unnatural enthusiasm.

Sasuke seemed to fall back in his chair and fold his arms. Every ten or so seconds he checked his watch, his eyebrow twitching with impatience. All eyes were on him for a full minute before he clapped his hands and rose again. "Alright. Everyone who's coming, hurry up."

"Sasuke-kun, what are you doing?" Sakura asked angrily as he hopped on one of the far desks and pushed the window open. "We're two stories up!"

"If you shimmy along the side, there's a drainpipe that you can slide down."

He stuck one of his legs outside and sat on the windowsill, holding his hand out to Sakura. She looked at it.

"What?" He asked, the tiniest hint of confusion in his voice. "You're not coming? That's a surprise." He watched her falter slightly before she wrenched on to it and hauled up next to him.

"Okay. He instructed, pointing to a narrow stretch of brick that jutted out from the main building. "Walk along that. When you come to the pipe-"

"I get the general idea, Sasuke." Sakura smiled, moving past him. He grumbled at her and helped Ino up after Sakura. This was probably the first and only time that Sasuke would willingly let her take his hand, but she was so focused that she didn't think twice about it. As Sakura and Ino both reached the pipe and Sasuke was about to swing his leg over and follow them-

"Sasuke-kun!"

He looked down at Hinata, who was still red in the face and covering the gash on her face with a tissue that Kakashi had given her. Her free hand was stretched towards him expectantly. He frowned at her.

"You can't come."

"W-What?" She stuttered, blushing deeply.

"You're hurt. You're a liability. This isn't some sparring match. This is Orochimaru. We don't need to lose lives pointlessly-"

"Sasuke-kun!" She said, her tone and her glare hardening. "I'm c-coming." She nodded, stepping up on to the desk.

He scowled again and grabbed her hand quickly. "Stupid forceful girls." He grumbled.

Sakura and Ino were both down the pipe and sprinting to the South gates as fast as their legs could carry them. The screams and roars of the crowd could be heard from outside their classroom window, and they were slowing rising higher and higher.

"There!" Ino shouted as the crowd's silhouette quickly descended on them. Sakura could make out the distinct shapes of some people, especially Lee who seemed to be taking on three opponents at once. It wasn't as Sakura imagined it - a cold, heartless battlefield with the dead and the near dead strewn and skewered to the ground. Most of the students were standing behind the wall and the iron railings, screaming abuse at the attackers.

"Ino-chan!" Sakura shouted. The crowd was distressfully loud. "Can you fight in anyway way?"

"N-No, but I want to-"

"Stay over there! I don't want any pointless deaths!" Sakura ordered, glaring. Ino wavered for a second, opening an angry, accusing mouth to argue, but she closed it. Sakura's charging had caused a stir in the crowd. As soon as they realized she wasn't going to stop, they moved out of the way, bracing themselves for impact.

"Haruno! Don't you dare go in-"

She heard Sasuke forbidding her, but it was too late. She planted her hands on the wall's head and hurdled herself over, earning a cheer from the crowd. She could hear Sasuke swearing behind her, but she couldn't care for that.

It wasn't organized, but it was a battle. There weren't set duels with certain people spread about. It was more 'Hit one guy, run over, kick that one, swing about and smash that one's face.' Sakura didn't have time to take account of the people, before she was grabbed by her hair and swung about. She keeled over, ready to shatter the bones of the person holding her, but saw not a frowning, ugly face, but her master's face. Tsunade's face.

She laughed nervously, expecting to be frowned upon and scolded, but instead she smirked and set her upright again.

"Are you ready for this?" She asked as she drove her fist in to a charging man's face. He shot backwards automatically, knocking over another man and Tenten, if she hadn't jumped it at the last second.

Sakura smiled back, taking out a pair of black leather gloves and sliding them on to her hands. "I think I can handle it."

Tsunade turned towards her. She stood at attention.

"First rule." Tsunade boomed.

"Conceal your secret, unless you're in real danger."

Tsunade made a 'tut' noise and shook her head sadly. "Sakura, that rule is only first when your fighting people with an honest bone in their body. This is the S.O.U.N.D's first platoon. There are Regi in here and they are ready to kill you."

Sakura nodded.

"First rule!" Tsunade bellowed, "Take no prisoners! And change those clothes!" She pointed to Sakura's skinny jeans.

"Sir, yes sir!" Sakura yelled back, ripping the jeans from her mid thigh downwards. Wearing steel-toed boots today was probably one of her better ideas. She jumped lightly in to Tsunade's hands, and she pulled backwards. Sakura crouched.

"Make me proud-" Tsunade managed to whisper before she swung her hands forward and vaulted her student through the air.

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I've decided. I make my chapters too short. It makes my story appear more run-on then it really is. So, starting from now, I'm going to make them longer. Tell me what you think about this in a review, please! 

Well done to anyone who guessed that both Itachi and Deidara were going to take her out! I was very impressed with your deductions!

You know, originally, it was neither Deidara nor Itachi. Before I even introduced Deidara to the story, it was originally going to be **Sai**-**kun** that escorted Sakura!! I wanted to choose a person who the others didn't like, but on thinking, I knew that Itachi would make Sasuke a lot more uncomfortable... Ahaha, the story changed a little, didn't it? Remember when Sai insulted Sakura's mother and said she looked like a slut? Originally at that moment, he was asking her permission to take Sakura! Yes, I'm THAT bad a writer. I know. It's incredible.

It's about time I get to a battle scene. God, I suck.

But reviews please? Thank you -3- It'll help combat my suckiness.


	17. What Not To Fight

Hello everyone.

Ah... I haven't been in a writing mood, lately... I've been too buried in schoolwork and Lavi... Yes, _**Lavi**_. It's _true_. _I'm not kidding_.

So. I just finished watching Fruits Basket. A _very _good series, I have decided. I cried a few times, especially in the last couple of episodes. It is so good that I cannot choose my favorite character at all... I love a lot of them. Especially Shigure, Kyo, Hatsuharu, Yuki... see? It's impossible to choose... I think I'll have to read the manga as well, for only about eight of the Jyunishi are mentioned in the anime. Not only this, but I have also discovered the talent that is Mika Nakashima - a very beautiful person as well as an inspiring singer. I especially like her songs **Aishiteru**, **Glamorous Sky **and the song **LIFE **that she sung for Life, one of my favorite J-Dramas.

Without any further delay, I shall go on to the story.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto, nor do I own Sai-kun. This makes me very sad. Not only this, but I don't own Lavi either? D: My life has no meaning.

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**We Were Made To Be**

**Chapter 17**

**What Not To Fight**

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_"First rule!" Tsunade bellowed, "Take no prisoners! And change those clothes!" She pointed to Sakura's skinny jeans._

_"Sir, yes sir!" Sakura yelled back, ripping the jeans from her mid thigh downwards. Wearing steel-toed boots today was probably one of her better ideas. She jumped lightly in to Tsunade's hands, and she pulled backwards. Sakura crouched._

_"Make me proud-" Tsunade managed to whisper before she swung her hands forward and vaulted her student through the air. _

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The harsh air, flying debris and the kicked-up dust storm cut against Sakura's face and newly bared legs. She shot through the air so fast that she couldn't make out any of the people fighting at all. In fact, she couldn't stop herself whatsoever. She had practiced being thrown by her master before, but nothing like this. Whilst usually she could usually swerve about in midair to control the way she fell, she could barely blink at this speed. Why has she been thrown with so much force?

It was good that there weren't so many people fighting, or she would have hit someone. She had counted about 10 people from her schools sparsely scattered amongst the 30 or so opponents wearing purple sashes.

_Whoosh_. Sakura nearly missed a young man's head. Whether or not this would have been a good thing was unknown to Sakura, though steel-toed boots to the head usually doesn't end in pleasure.

Then Sakura saw it. The large, white van that was buzzing up to her. That's why Tsunade has thrown her so hard. With a slight grumble, Sakura tried bit by bit to raise her legs for the impact. With neither knee locked in place, at least her legs wouldn't be broken... right?

**Crunch**.

She shot through the metalwork like a pebble through water. The torn iron bent and groaned under the pressure. Sakura wrenched her foot out of the hole that was there, and peered through. There were a few confused and scared looking people in white coats, but no sign of any hostages. No Naruto. No Gaara. Sakura nodded to herself before bending the metal back over the hole.

She sighed and leant back against the van. Fighting sure was hard work.

She cracked her knuckles tetchily before squinting. A few shots of colours made themselves known. She recognized Neji's wispy green aura and Tsunade's much more fiery one instantaneously. Hinata's smoky blue aura was quite surprising thought. It was diluted, and nowhere near as vibrant as her cousin's. Her eyes pinned to a dark yellow shape that seemed to be trying to knock the breath out of a small girl who Sakura knew to be Tenten.

Sakura pushed her hair back. How would Tenten fare against a Regi?

Tenten was used to fights. She picked one whenever she could, but nothing like this.

After she had taken her time by play-baiting with a slim man with a body encased in bandages (with Lee delivering the ambush-blow to the back of his head afterwards) and snatching Hinata away from a particularly violent man who seemed intent on driving a metal pipe through her skull, she had been confronted so violently without a moment's warning. She was about an inch away from having a severe concussion.

Why did this person seem to have an edge over her? She seemed to know how to combat her, forcing her to use other methods, and for some reason it was difficult to hit her. And if she did manage to land a hit, she'd never be able to do it the same way afterwards.

The woman had dark, pink hair - something that reminded her annoyingly of her best friend. Not only that, but she had seen her face somewhere. She knew it. She knew this face, but she couldn't figure out who it was. She bit her lip and tightened the ties around her buns, coughing slightly. She could taste the subtle metallic hints of blood in her mouth. The woman sneered at her.

"Fuckin' weakling." She spat at Tenten's feet. "It's because of all that dirty, impure shit in your veins. Want me to-" She took out some sort of baton and caressed it fondly, "Spill it for you?"

Tenten smirked. "Go ahead and try."

She frowned and swiped at Tenten's head. A raised fist blocked this easily, and Tenten delivered her knee in to the woman's stomach. She was about to spring backwards, but instead, she felt herself being pushed backwards. She blinked as the woman fell on to her. As her slumped figure lay crumpled on the ground, Tenten looked up. Sakura stood before her, her clenched fist still raised. Tenten glanced down to where the unconscious woman's hair clashed with red.

"Hi-i-ii," Sakura sung, lending Tenten her hand. "Come on! There's about 20 more butts out there and they're not gonna kick themselves."

Tenten, still bewildered, took Sakura's hand and pushed the fallen woman off of her knees. The two of them looked down at her. Sakura smiled.

"Yes!" She squealed thrusting out her clenched fists, "My first victim! Ohhh, it feels so good!"

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" Tenten shouted loudly. Sakura said nothing. "AND HOW CAN YOU DO THAT?"

"I got taught." She said simply.

Tenten tried to glare her down, but instead she nodded quietly, kicking away the man behind her and foiling his attempted ambush. "Well," She said, finally, smiling faintly. "I've got to go. As you said, there's a lot more butt to kick... and I want to get my share."

Sakura nodded, and the two split off in opposite directions.

But before she could get 5 feet from her spot, she felt a strong hand clasp her head and swing her about by her pink locks. Flinching in pain, she blinked to see a blonde flash. Her master was frowning at her. Sakura wavered.

"What's with you and pulling my hair??" Sakura moaned, scrambling at the clenched hands.

Tsunade deliberately chose to ignore this.

"I saw you just now. Don't get cocky." She waggled her finger in Sakura's face. "I might have said that concealing your secret was not a priority, but that doesn't take away from the importance."

Sakura nodded.

"There aren't a lot of us here. You're a lot more in the open. If you make things difficult for yourself now, you'll going to find things will continue to be difficult in the future."

"Haruno." A familiar voice from behind said calmly. Sakura had only looked away once before her teacher was no longer there. Her attention was now on Sasuke, who had both his opponent's arms locked behind him in one hand, whilst the other was clenched about his neck. The man spluttered disgustingly. Sasuke couldn't care less. His clothes were still as perfect as she remembered them to be. She looked down at her makeshift shorts. "You're an idiot, you know."

Sakura beamed at him and turned about again. "Good luck, Sasuke!" She heard Sasuke's target fall to the soft earth below. A roar of girls sounded loudly.

"Sasuke-ku-n!" Ino cried, leaning only on the top of the wall, waving a quickly assembled flag. She and as many other girls as one could possibly fit on a wall had climbed up to get a better look, despite their teacher's wishes. "Do your best!!"

Sasuke, to the whole crowd's shock, nodded, which only earned him another round of screams.

"You seem to have quite the fan club, Uchiha-kun."

Sasuke's neck shot straight again, his scowl returning swiftly to his face, but as soon as it had returned, it had been wiped again. Sasuke's voice cracked. The man before him was tall, dark haired and sallow with either age or a lack of sunlight. Sasuke stepped backwards. The figure before him grinned and licked its white lips. Sasuke could no longer hear anything.

"You..."

"You!!" The tall, muscled man touched the top of his bald skull carefully; wincing when he saw his fingertips had turned a putrid crimson. He growled and snarled at his attacker - in the form a delicate-looking girl in knee-high boots. "You little-"

"Are you going to continue to be so swimmingly articulate, or are you going to punch me?" She asked so cheerfully that the man felt even more anger rise in the pits of his stomach. He punched her arm with as much force as he could muster. She looked shocked. He smirked.

"Not so cocky now, are ya?" He snickered.

"Wow!" Sakura poked the spot where he hit her, flinching slightly every time. "You made a bruise and everything!"

The man chewed down his words, scanning the girl hurriedly. Not quickly enough it seemed, because the last thing he would recall after he woke up with this little rose-coloured girl pulling back her arm and punching him in the square in the gut. He fell to his knees, gagging on his own shallow breath, before toppling to the ground. A little cloud of dust arose, swarming around his large body. Her act of 'bravery' received a screaming retort from the students. Sakura waved feebly at them, following the crowd down with her eyes.

A string of smiling faces. Ume's bouncy red hair was fluttering prettily around an equally red face. Ecstatic. Ino, whose face was full of fear? Petrified.

What?

Sakura watched in horror as she tracked her gaze to Sasuke, being confronted by a tall man. Ino was screaming. Everyone around had stopped fighting to look to the youngest Uchiha.

She felt her blood freeze.

The man was pale. So pale that Sakura could not bring herself to believe that this person was fully alive. Long, dead-straight black hair mingled with what was evidently blood fell down his tall back. Sakura shivered at the sight of him, barely managing to squint. Nothing changed.

This man was not a Regi.

She glanced back to Sasuke, who was not moving. A single stream of blood was marked down his mouth - something that had most definitely not been there before. His eyes were stained with fear; such a fear that she had hoped never to see on such a beautiful face. It was now marked and scarred.

Sakura's first instinct was to punch the ground. Create an opening. Get Sasuke away from there. She couldn't bear to see that look of horror on his face. But she couldn't. She couldn't reveal her secret. There were people watching and she wasn't skilled enough. Tsunade had kicked up a lot of dust before throwing her, and she had neither the sense nor the thought to at such a crucial moment.

All she could do was hold back her tears. Sasuke's fear was so evident, so horribly unnatural, that Sakura could even smell it.

"You're frightened?" Sakura's ears picked up the trails of a high, sinister voice. "For yourself? For the ones around you? You always were far too soft, Sasuke-kun... Should I help you? Should I kill those girls screaming for you? ...Or..." A gun clenched in hand found it's way to Sakura's forehead. "Should I shoot this one behind me...?"

**Bam**.

Sakura doubled over as she was clutched from behind and pulled sharply backwards. Her stomach swooped. The ground obscured amongst smoke.

"Don't stand so close." Said an unfamiliar male voice in to her ear. She shivered under his warm breath. An undefined smell reached her nostrils - one that was immediately stilled by the hand that clasped over her face. "The enemies are fitted with pads. When they fall unconscious, the pads leech out sleeping gas. Orochimaru's doing... It's no longer a fair battle. Don't get over your head, now."

The mysterious figure before Sasuke disappeared behind the cloud as well. Was this person that Sasuke seemed to fear with his heart and soul... was it Orochimaru? The name that struck fear in to any ear it reached? Sakura felt unrealistically relaxed. She could taste the sweetness of anesthetics in the vapor about them. She covered the hand that was spread across her face with her sleeve.

"Who are you?" She demanded, scanning the smoke for signs of life.

A pause.

"A friend." Said the chillingly cool voice. "Do you trust me?"

Sakura didn't answer.

The two of them passed through the cloud in to the open air. Sakura felt her throat harden, for no longer could she see battling figures strewn across the plain. They were surrounded by a sea of black uniforms, all holding them at gunpoint. The glaze of the metal from the weapons and the crests engraved on each man's chest reflected in to Sakura's eyes. She couldn't bring herself to blink.

"This is the police!" Said one of the men, holding a bullhorn. A scar engraved finger was pointing angrily at them. Somehow, this alone seemed to intimidate Sakura more than the guns. "You there! Take off the cloak and put the girl down!"

The figure holding Sakura in his arms didn't move; he only observed them carefully.

"And if I refuse?" He asked after a moment of silence. He cradled her fondly, daring the police to move. "So, the police are finally getting involved in the Orochimaru crisis? Took you long enough. Have you finally grown some balls, chief?"

The ability to move eventually found it's way back to her, as she swiped her head about to the mysterious man behind her. He wasn't that much taller than her - she guesses that she reached his mouth at least. His face was concealed under the depth of a deep red cloak. It was wrapped around his mouth and head so that only his left eye was visible. A hood and cape covered this even more so, in such away that the colour of his eye was indistinguishable, yet it seemed to be happy. Sakura was confused to find that she couldn't read the emotion from it well at all.

"A wise guy, eh?" The chief spat. "I'll bet my pride as a man that you're a Regi! Stand down!"

The cloaked figure scoffed. Sakura had already concerned herself in squinting in her savior's direction. As had happened with the man confronting Sasuke, no colours revealed themselves.

This man, again, was not a Regi.

"Stand down!" The man commanded again, but there was no movement other than the feeling of tension that strangled the oxygen out of the air. "You're a Regi, aren't you? Reveal yourself! Or we'll shoot!"

Sakura's masked savior seemed to find extreme glee in the entire police force. His chest shook with condensed laughter. "Don't you think..." He started smugly, "That instead of interrogating me as to whether or not I'm a Regi, which is impossible to know, you should be going through that cloud of smoke to Orochimaru? And besides." He pressed a cloaked mouth to Sakura's reddened forehead. "I've got a hostage."

Sakura coughed.

"Chief..." Said one of the policemen to the right of the Chief Officer. He lowered his gun slightly. "I know where I recognize her! She's the daughter of Haruno, you know, the businessman! His wife has pink hair just like that?"

"We can't shoot a Haruno!" Said the man to the left of the speaker.

"Don't lower your guard!" Barked the Chief Officer so loudly that he whole crowd of men jumped. Sakura felt the man's hand move higher up her back. Again, he laughed to himself. The Chief Officer glared at him for a moment.

"As much as I'd love to play mind games with you, chief," He snickered to himself, saluting mockingly at them. "I've got a precious cargo to transport. So...-"

Without another sound he bounded backwards again in to the smoke. She hadn't realized what was happening before she could stop the drugged fog from seeping in to her chest.

Sakura clutched herself to him on hearing the Chief from behind the smokescreen yell at the top of his lungs, "FIRE AT WILL." Her heart stopped as the first bullet shot past her feet. Tens, maybe hundreds, followed swiftly after. Sakura felt tears squeeze past her clenched eyes. A series of thudding came from before them. She could not open her eyes.

They seemed to be flying back for hours. Her body felt numb - so numb in fact, that if she had been hit, she probably wouldn't have felt it. The moment she managed to crack her eyes open, a sudden blaze of white light flashed up to her. She had no time to hide her face before it exploded and a barrage of white-hot debris shot towards her.

"AARGH-"

A sudden surge of pain ripped open her cheek. Another to her shin. Sakura tried to lift her hands to where she had been hit, but nothing would move. What was like a second lasted hours, as she heard the bone crunch from under her. The feeling of pure, cold metal compressing through her leg was nothing short of _agony_. She fought against herself to keep her eyes open, even for a moment. They just kept drifting through the air. Sakura's breath was still held inside her.

"I'm going to take you somewhere safe." She suddenly heard his voice tell her in hush. A lip brushed against her ear. The sensation of steamy breath down her neck made her hair stand on end. Her leg and face were burning.

"B-But..." She managed to whisper back. "What about... Sasuke-kun?"

"Ah..." A pair of stiff arms clutched about her stomach. She was pulled in to a cold embrace. "Sasuke's predicament will be handled effectively... Right now you should just... sleep?" She felt a hand tug through her hair. And again.

"I can't sleep, I'm in the middle of a fight...!" Sakura mumbled, the drug gushing in to her lungs.

Sakura heard a chuckle, before her watery eyes glinted behind their delicate lids. The last thing she saw was a sudden strand of red. Red.

**Red.**

Heat.

She snatched her hand away, shooting upwards suddenly. She looked dismissively at the perpetrator, in the form of a black radiator, panting slightly. She turned her hand over and over again. Both her fists were so tightly bound in bandages that she couldn't see where her thumb ended and fingers started. They were just two club-like things on sticks. She tried to clench her fist. It hurt.

The room she was in was dark and unfamiliar. The person who had decorated it had odd taste. It might've looked like a hospital ward if the walls weren't painted burgundy and ridden with black velvets. An odd smell wafted through the air - a mix of disinfectant and sugar. Sakura scrunched up her face. She didn't like it. There were no windows, and the pillow on which she was rested was rough and itchy. The whole bed was too firm, in fact. She could feel aches in her heaviest parts.

She let out a grunt and tried to sit up, only to find that this didn't happen. She strained and strained, but she wouldn't move, and the more she strained, the more her body throbbed.

She didn't know how long she had been sleeping. The only thing she could do was watch the tall, dark grandfather clock at the end of her bed. 40 to 3, it read, but Sakura couldn't tell if it was the middle of the night or not. All she could do was hope that the dim light that seemed to be shining from an unknown source didn't cut out. Hopefully someone would check in on her.

And during the 158 minutes that Sakura counted one by one on the clock's face, she realized that she was a person that got bored very easily and very, very quickly. Such characteristics reminded her of Naruto and Kiba. Her heartstrings twanged with nausea.

It was shocking how much she didn't know about herself. Only recently had she discovered her life's biggest secret. Only now had she uncovered a new piece of her personality. Was this a normal thing, to not understand yourself?

Sakura didn't dwell on it from fear of over obsession. She had decided that she had a very compulsive personality around the 105th minute she had counted-

"Ahh!"

A _snap _sounded through the room and a light switched on above her. A large bulk of weight suddenly dropped on to her feet, and two grinning marine eyes were staring down at her from the end of her bed.

"Sakura-kun! Did you know that you're incredibly allergic to certain kinds of anesthetics?" Sung that cheery voice that was designed to irk. Though, she was somehow incredibly thankful to hear it again. "It was pretty frightening, actually, un."

Deidara flicked his hair out of his eyes happily. In his shadow stood a shorter man who Sakura almost mistook to be Gaara, though the deep, rich brown of this man's eyes were unlike that of Temari's brother. This man had an older face, though he only looked to be about 18. He was gingerly rubbing an eye with his sleeve, yawning.

"Deidara, you wake up too early..." He groaned.

Sakura snapped awake again. That voi-

"You!" She raised a bandaged arm, squirming in her seat. The red-haired male watched her with drooped, sleep-deprived eyes. "You're him! You saved me-"

"Mmn, yeah." He said plainly with that collected voice that was so very recognizable. Sakura was almost frustrated in response to this short, almost meaningless reply. After all, she felt in debt.

Yet, this man had not so much as introduced himself. All he did was rub his face and answer in low grunts when the obviously coffee-powered Deidara shot him questions. All she could do is nod and try to pick up details. All she managed to find out was that Deidara thought very highly of the guy and occasionally referred to him with terms like "Bro" and "Bastard."

"And now it's 6 in the morning, so we were just going to sneak in to Itachi's room and draw on his-"

"Itachi's here?" Sakura interrupted curiously.

Deidara span back to her. "Uh, yeah. Everyone's here. You've been out cold for two days." He didn't think to pause at her shocked face. "Me and Sasori here kept on checking on you, but you didn't wake up-"

Sakura coughed and pointed her clubbed arm at the sleepy redhead again. "Sasori?"

He opened a brown eye expectantly. The same look of confusion was mirrored in Sakura's green eyes. A moment passed.

"You're Sasori." She repeated, more slowly this time. She seemed to place her word so carefully that she feared that they might shatter at any harshness. Deidara watched, clueless. The room was so still, so quiet, that the pitter-patter of a spider across the floor could be heard.

"...Yes." 2wdcj

…

She sniggered. Deidara deflated angrily.

"I-" Another giggle. "I see." The words that she had taken so much care to set out so gingerly were now shattering on the floor.

"Shut up!" Deidara raged at her badly concealed fit, his ears flushing bright red. "You said you'd forgotten it! You promised that you'd forgotten it! Liar!" He waved several accusing digits at her face. Sakura's stomach was about to split.

Sasori, however was now tapping on the side of his head with an expression that clearly stated 'my friend is an idiot.' "This is your fault. I blame you for everything."

"What?? How is this my fault??"

"Everything is your fault. All the hardships in the world are due to your error and no-one else's."

"The hell?? Get back here, bastard!!"

"Ah, Deidara!"

"It's DEIDEI to you." He snapped back at her as the shadow of his companion disappeared through the doorway. Strands of his blonde hair feathered across his face. "What do you want, you trouble causer?"

Sakura recoiled a bit, timidly judging whether or not she should keep him when he was in such a bad mood, but she felt as if she owed it to herself. She didn't know how long it would be until someone else came.

"I just... wanted to ask some questions." She huffed, grumpily, evidently flaunting the fat tear that was forming in the crook of her eye.

Deidara twitched.

"Please... Deidei?"

"Don't do that!" He spat. The angry pointing finger had returned. "You've been hanging around with Itachi-bastard too much! His manipulative-ness has rubbed off on you. Tch. How typical, un."

Sakura shrugged. This might as well be true, although she had a feeling that Kiba and Naruto both had an effect on her new outlook of life as well. Tenten probably had too, and she was sure that the 'I really can't be assed' feeling she got from time to time had been contributed by Neji.

"Where are we?"

"Uchiha estate. We're using this place as a Regi hideout." Deidara buffed his nails against his scarf. "Itachi already ordered his parents to be escorted out of the area. They're staying in Tokyo right now, but everyone else is here... The school was evacuated about an hour after you fainted. Everything turned out pretty okay."

"Pretty okay?"

Deidara tilted his head from side to side, choosing his words carefully. "...Pretty okay... There were some... skirmishes... but we're working on them!" He said hurriedly after Sakura's growing expression of shock turned in to an expression of melancholy. "I mean... Orochimaru got away and took Naruto and Gaara with him-"

Sakura could hear no more. A piercing wave of emotion channeled through her.

"-The old lady Tsunade ended up having to reveal herself as a Regi to repel Orochimaru and protect the students and is now on the run as a named criminal for the unintended death of one of the police force-"

Her stomach whirred. There was no heat left in the world.

"-Sasuke's both traumatized and infuriated with Itachi and isn't doing well- what? Don't cry!"

But Sakura raised her head from her knees to deliver a swift heel to Deidara's thigh. He tripped backwards slightly and caught her eyes. A moment filled with glares passed.

He pursed his lips.

"What the hell was that for?"

"I'm not crying, idiot!" She shouted so loudly that the room shook. A pair of tiny spiders scuttled for cover. They glared some more before Sakura broke the silence again. "Crying won't help at a time like this. I refuse to be a burden."

Deidara's expression blackened. He folded his arms and grunted, "I hate stubborn brats like you, un."

"That's rich, considering you are one."

They stared eachother down again.

"..." Sakura softened up and hugged her knees again. "What about the others? Tenten and Neji and Lee?"

Deidara rubbed the back of his neck unsurely. "Uh..." He looked at the ceiling to avoid her eyes. "Well, Tenten got out of it okay... But by the end of it all, it became really obvious what Orochimaru was trying to do."

Sakura said nothing.

"After you went unconscious and after Sasuke had been removed from the scene - because getting to Sasuke was one of the main priorities, we think - Orochimaru started to bring out the big guns." Deidara lowered his voice. "He thinks Regi are a lot more superior than they are. He wants to force them out of hiding, so he brought on Regi of his own."

"..."

"And it was- well... it wasn't pretty. Because it was obvious that these new people were Regi, and everyone was screaming because what they were doing - unleashing their powers like that. And helicopters started flying around and catching it all on tape. Itachi had trouble getting those to leave."

"But what about Neji and Lee?" Sakura shot out suddenly.

Deidara glowered at her again, but found it pointless and continued again, now reciting it rhythmically and deeply. "Orochimaru can't tell who are Regi and who aren't, so he assumed that the majority of students fighting where. So he tried to force them out, un. Neji got attacked by some weird Regi... Sakura-kun." Deidara risked to look at her. "You know... You don't have to be born a Regi to become one."

Sakura shivered and shuffled the sheets up her a bit more. "W-What happened?"

"It was obvious that it wasn't going to be much longer until any Regi were going to be forced to reveal themselves - especially that Hinata chick. She wasn't looking good."

Sakura froze. Hinata was out there? She had forgotten.

"So, Tsunade did what she had to do, in the end." Deidara managed a tiny smile. "The old hag started pounding the ground. And the ground that they were all standing on started shifting down... until they were all hidden under the shadows. The fight went on under there, but her Tsunade was out the bag. Before she went, though, she did as much damage to everything as she could." He chuckled a little. "I've never seen one person dodge so many bullets before."

Sakura felt sick. "H-How is everyone doing?"

"Everyone thought that Lee guy was going to be dead at the end of it, since was injured before he went in to battle, you know? Some fight with someone ages ago nearly cost him his life as a martial artist, I dunno. Anyway. He got out of it okay. Broken leg, nothing too serious. Neji's pretty good now too, I guess. He was nearly dead, though, before he got pulled out of there. That weird Regi skewered him. But Hyuuga got him!" Deidara beamed, looking proud as if he himself had done the deed. "It was great! You should have seen that guy's corpse... un. That mutant didn't stand a chance against Hyuuga."

Sakura did not dwell on her upper classman's gory sense of humor. Nor did she think of what on earth Neji had done to that Regi to get Deidara so fired up.

"Mutant?" She asked.

Deidara paused. "Did I say mutant? No, no, no, no, I didn't mean _that_."

"You said mutant."

"I know what I said, idiot! I just didn't-"

"What other ways can people become Regi?"

Deidara's face, which had already turned a variety of colours during their discussion, was now a deep crimson. Sakura caught emotions of anger and regret in his eyes, before he finally looked away with a grunt.

"Tell me."

"No."

"Tell me."

"Make me."

"Fine. I'll ask Sasori."

He scoffed. "Hah. He won't tell you, un."

"How sure are you about that?"

A pause. "Very." He looked her up and down. "You can't walk, anyway. You got shot in the leg."

Sakura remembered the searing pain in her leg before. She peered under the sheets to see her entire lower half encased in white bandages. She frowned. Had she really got hurt that badly?

"Deidara-sempai, am I a liability?"

Deidara had now drawn a water bottle out of nowhere and was drinking it, looking down at her boredly. "What's with you and questions? Just shut up already."

Deidara's gradual but definite chattering and wit swamped Sakura for the next couple of hours, as he got more and more bored. From everything from recent battle plans to the people currently taking refuge in the house, which turned out to be quite a hefty amount. Sakura had missed a lot, because plans to take back the hostages from Orochimaru were already falling in to place. Sakura knew she had to be a part of it. Naruto could barely stand being enclosed in a classroom. The thought of him in chains, starving and beaten were enough to make her vomit.

She rubbed her arms. "Dei... what do you think they're doing to them?" Her glassy green eyes met his awkwardly. "You don't think... they're..."

"They're not dead. He wouldn't kill them..." Deidara mumbled from the side of his mouth with his lips pressed against his bottle. His own eyes were focused on an exact, unmoving spot. "That's not in Orochimaru's nature. He knows that there are fates worse than death." She shivered. "If you really want to know what I think..." He looked back at her for any reaction. There was none. "...I honestly think he'll be experimenting on them."

"Human experimentation??" Sakura attempted to slam her hands down in rage, but this just ended in a lot of pain. "T-That's sickening..." She watched her bandaged hands carefully, not gasping when she saw the shades of red drench her left slowly. She turned it around immediately so Deidara wouldn't see. "What kind of things would he be doing to them?"

Deidara hesitated for a second, and then shook his head.

"N- ...No clue."

-------------

The room was bare and naked. All it's furnishings and items of luxury had been rammed up against the door, even the large bed. The wardrobe's door creaked open and closed. Every now and then it clashed and crashed with the chest of drawers that was messily forced next to it. In the middle of the wooden floor was a boy lit by the touch of one lamp in the corner. Up. Down. Up. Down. He pushed his arm up for the umpteenth time, but no sign of sweat. His face was furrowed in to a scowl that appeared to have been there for a long time now.

Uchiha Sasuke was in bad shape.

His face and skin had returned to the pale colour that they had been before. The dark circles under his eyes had returned also. He forced down any yawn that tried to spring up.

_He was truly afraid. One look from that man and he was scared stiff. He didn't know that the rose-coloured girl behind him had also caught his yellowed eyes. They were both petrified._

_The world was shrinking. All the oceans and continents were annihilated until the whole earth was reduced to the plot of land that they were both standing on. He was circling him, deciding which angle to strike. He was like fish in a barrel._

_The growing wait to death or worse was a terrible thing._

_He closed his eyes as the man began to speak a twisted dialogue. Incomprehendable. He tried to force his ears to a close, but in vain._

_  
"You're going to come with me now." The high-pitched sneering voice told him. "You evaded me the last time... but not again..." The man knelt down next to him and hissed in to his ear, "I'm going to make you in to my servant. That should put that superiority complex of yours in to a little box, don't you think?"_

_  
He couldn't answer. He was frozen._

_"I've already had you checked, Sasuke-kun." He told him, cruelly. "No one in your family was born a Regi... a shame, don't you think? Remember the secret I told you a few years ago..? When I stained your skin with the blood of your teacher... do you remember what I told you about him? Do you remember what I told you to do to overcome it?"_

_Sasuke tried to tell him to stop it. He didn't want to hear._

_  
"You want to overcome your brother, don't you? It's your... ambition-"_

His head twitched. His eyes glued to the spot where a tiny metal device was vibrating around, with flashes of light following. An irritating ring that he knew he had not set came from it. Sasuke tried to ignore it, but found that he couldn't. With a roar of rage, he threw down the weight above his head and stalked off to the phone. He checked it's number in hope that it might be the people who he missed, but all it read was "Withheld number." Snapping it open, in a voice that sounded as if it had not met water in a few days growled. "Go away."

Before he could shut it again, he stopped.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun, you're so polite." Said a familiar voice.

His dark, diluted eyes narrowed. "You again?"

She giggled.

"Look," Sasuke pressed his hand against his hip to prevent himself from crunching the phone in to little pieces. "I don't know what you're pulling, but if you could get a life-"

That same melodious laughter. She breathed. "That's cute coming from someone who's locked himself in his room and refuses to come out." Sasuke said nothing, only clenched his fist. "That's a bit childish, don't you think, Sasuke-kun? I always thought you were pretty mature... I wonder what you're doing in there. How are you?"

"**Don't **you dare try and make light conversation with me!" He snapped, stamping on the floorboards. He didn't care whether or not the whole house could hear him. "Tell me who you are right now."

"Aww..." Said that sweet voice at the end of line. "But that's no fun at all! I just want to play...-"

"I'm not interested in your games!" He bellowed. The room shook and the wardrobe door slammed in to an ultimate close. Two minute passed and neither side had said anything. Sasuke's arms were still shaking. Looking to his left, his eyes caught the light of another sunrise. Dawn again? He took a few deep breaths before switching the phone in his hands and sliding his back down the wall. "Why are you calling me? Why me?"

A short stillness, before, "A number of reasons, Sasuke-kun."

"Tell me." He screwed up his face in frustration and scowled before growling, "Please."

She seemed to be delighted from what he could hear, because she let out a rather triumphant laugh. It rang in his ears.

But, he heard a door open on her end. A mumbled voice spoke. A ruffle. He guessed she had covered the speaker with her hand. He listened curiously before her voice swiped back. Sounding much more hurried. "I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun. I have to go. I'll be in touch."

"Wait-"

The line went dead.

He sat there in silence. In an upset, he hammered the phone on the wall and threw it with so much force at the windows that the glass shattered. He was going to ask her not to leave. _Pathetic_, he seethed.

_"Pathetic." Said an unknown voice from behind the shadows. Orochimaru frowned and looked around. He could see something that he could not. Suddenly, the world that he was trapped in fell... he could see light again. But... it was obscured. He strained his unmoving head in anger as he recognized the tall, dark silhouette before him. Orochimaru was nowhere to be seen._

_His heart burned with icy intent. His limbs went limp once more and he caught himself on the ground. Kneeling before that man... He snarled._

_Only a laugh answered him. "Idiot little brother."_

His eyes flashed.

-----------

Sakura's energy and ability to walk eventually caught up with her after a couple of days and a couple of thousand tears shed by the mourning Lee, who had to be dragged away by Tenten so that he didn't drown them all.

Nevertheless, things were getting better. Sakura still found it hard to smile, though, when two of her friends had been captured by the most terrible person she could think of and the only person who could talk sense in to her was barricaded in his room.

Sakura was lonely. Even though she was constantly overrun with visits from her friends, she was lonely. There were only three people she really wanted to see right now. Gaara, Naruto and-

"Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke was standing at the end of the hallway, halfway though the doorway in to the main foyer. He had opened the door so gingerly, with pinkies raised, that it was evident that he was trying to be as quiet as possible. His alarmed eyes glinted up to her, hidden beneath a halo of uncombed tresses. He wore jeans and a jacket with the hood already over his head. On his feet were sneakers and if it weren't for the wristwatch worn like a badge of pride on his arm, he would have passed as any normal person. No one would have been able to tell that he was not just some random dark-looking teenager. No one would have known he was Uchiha Sasuke, second-son to Uchiha Fugaku, one of the most influential men on the planet.

Though, Sakura would have.

And she was clad in a white night gown with one hand still bandaged tight. Her hair was also not brushed, but it didn't look nearly as naturally charming as Sasuke's did. She also looked pale and brittle as he did, though her eyes still had a characteristic spark.

Moth's darted like shooting stars across the rectangle of light that had appeared from Sasuke's door. Their gaze was locked and barred by Sasuke's dark bangs. It was moments until one of them said anything.

"Sasuke?" She repeated, edging forwards a little. He took a step backwards apprehensively. "What are you doing up so late at night?"

He pursed his lips. "I could ask you the same question."

She shuffled her feet passively. "I've been asleep all day, so now I'm not tired. Did you do the same?"

He didn't look at her. Glancing to the right, he closed the door quietly behind him and took down the corridor towards her in powerful strides. She watched, curiously as he was about to collide with her.

"Sasuke, what are you-"

He shoved her out of the way and continued to walk. She frowned for a second before bounding forwards and gripping his shirt tight in her fingers. He paused for a second before trying to pull it out of her grasp. She didn't budge. 

"Sasuke, tell me where you're going."

Nothing.

"A-Are you going to go and find Naruto?" A flash of hope scattered over her face, thought it dispersed as Sasuke showed no sign of reaction. "Then... what are you really doing?

"I don't have to tell you anything." He said plainly, tearing the shirt out of her hands. "It's none of your business anyway. Go back to bed."

He began trying to open the door on the other side of the corridor, only to find that it was locked. He fiddled with it for a second, trying to ignore her seemingly-endless chattering. Her hands were clasped in front of them in praying stance.

"You're going out somewhere." She said, worriedly. "And you have a backpack... you're planning on leaving?"

He considered kicking the door down as it once again refused to move. He turned back around swiftly and briefly attempted to stare her down.

"Sasuke-kun, why-"

"It's none of your business."

Her fists shook by her sides and she gritted her teeth thoughtfully before raising her rose-coloured hair and glaring at him through rebellious pink locks. "Why don't you ever tell me anything? Why do you always have to go about things by yourself?"

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"Why are you leaving?? You have no where to go! Why would you possibly-" But she stopped in thought. Raising a stilling finger to her lips, she quivered, "You're going to Orochimaru, aren't you?"

He glared at the wall.

"Y-You are! You are... why are you doing that? You know how terrible he is! He tried to kidnap you!"

"He made me an offer I couldn't refuse." He grunted, stuffing his hands in to the dark chasms of his jeans. "Why should I tell you anything? It's not as if it's any of your business... you're just like all the other girls. Nosy." He snapped, expecting some form of remorse, although this was not the case.

Sakura shook. "If one of my best friends is making a mistake, it's every bit of my business. What kind of offer would you want to make with that horrible man?" She asked forcefully, arms still clamped to her sides in fury and turmoil. "He's despicable."

"I don't like him anymore than you do."

"Then why are you even considering it?"

"He's got something I need."

"What might that be?"

"He can help me." He said simply. "And I don't need to tell you any more than that."

He was about to swing the large backpack he had been carrying over his shoulder again, but Sakura took its strap in her hands and tugged it down. Her eyes were full with discontent.

A look of pure anger.

_Sasuke's body was weak and frail. He lay sprawled across the floor next to the bleeding body of his teacher - the Third principal of Konoha. Around the room were his classmates, all flattened against the wall as tight as they could fit. All with faces as pale and cold as snow. Sasuke winced as a heavy foot brought itself down on to his arm, meshing itself with his blood. Over both of them stood a man both tall and sinister. Yellow eyes glinted evilly past a wall of greased black hair. _

_Sasuke shuddered as he leant down and took his chin in his bloodstained hands. The blood of his teacher smeared across his young neck. He could smell it. The stench of pain and the dead._

_  
"Sasuke-kun, Sasuke-kun..." He chuckled in to his ear, tightening his grasp around his neck. "Maybe if you had given yourself up beforehand, this never would have happened..."_

_Sasuke caught some girls in tears from the corner of his eyes._

_"This is your fault, you know..." He sneered cruelly, rubbing more blood over the boy's weak face. It was screwed and concentrating, holding back bitter tears. "You know, he's not even dead yet... If only you were more like... your brother."_

_Sasuke found the both to clench his fists. Orochimaru laughed and lowered his white chin on to the boy's shoulder. "Sasuke-kun..." He hissed so quietly that only the two of them could hear it. "You want to know what makes you and your brother so different? Do you know?"_

_Orochimaru lessened his grip so Sasuke could splutter for air. After a few seconds he answered, "Ni-san's a genius." He coughed. "The genius of the Uchiha family! I want to be like him some day!"_

_But the man let out a cackle of chorusing laugher. "Y-You want to be like him, do you?? Well, that can be arranged... Because, do you know-"_

_"No!!"_

_  
The body of the Third was stretched out, facing them. Sasuke shook with fear. His teacher face was so mangled that he could hardly recognize the kind old man that had put up with his pouting and arrogance. His legs were bent at awkward angles and his left arm had disappeared completely. He was reaching out to them with his only good limb, struggling to crawl forward. The room was silent._

_  
"Don't tell him!" He shouted again, his words clouded by the onslaught of blood. "It's forbidden!"_

_  
But Orochimaru sneered at the old man and brought his foot down on to his hand. The man keeled over in pain and Sasuke clearly heard the loud 'snap' of his thumb breaking. "Oh, sensei," He seethed in mock-pity. "Look where your speeches of peace and freedom have gotten you. Writhing around in a puddle of blood as your beloved students watch you slowly choke on your own breath. Sasuke-kun, you want to know, don't you?"_

Sasuke gulped and managed a tiny nod as his teacher screamed by his side.

_"Your brother... he's a Regi!"_

_"No!" The Third's scream blocked everyone from hearing. But Sasuke's face had already turned white._

_"A-A Regi??" He hissed back. "My brother's a... one of them?"_

_"He's a monster!" Orochimaru laughed in the boy's face. "But, goodness! Didn't you know? And he wasn't always like that, Sasuke-kun, no! Do you want to know more? Well, I'm the one who turned him like that!"_

_  
Sasuke shook. His arms wouldn't move to block his ears. He was wrong to ask onwards. He was wrong!_

_  
"Regi are superior!" He continued, mashing his fists in to rocks. "I turned him in to one, and I can turn you in to one too!" His snake-like face was pushed dangerously close to the boy's. "It's the only way you'll overcome your brother... after all... you said you wanted to be like him! Come with me, break all your bonds with your family and this pitiful village. Come and join me."_

_For the first time in five years, a tear rolled down Sasuke's face._

"Sasuke." Sakura snapped. Sasuke's cold glare centered on her again. Her gleaming eyes. "Listen to me."

"No." He said, curtly, beginning to turn on his heel.

WHAM.

Sakura let out a scream as two men threw themselves on to the boy. He writhed and struggled under their weight, but no use. The taller of the two grabbed his arm and forcefully pulled it behind his back. Sasuke roared in frustration and flailed with all his might. A third man came out of the shadows and knelt before him. Sakura recognized him at once.

"Of all the foolish things you have done..." Itachi's low, rhythmic drone started, "This has got to be the most stupid - the most immature."

"What do you know??" Sasuke yelled, trying to kick the boys off his back. "You're a Regi. You don't know me! You never did!

"Calm down, Sasuke-_chan_!" Deidara called back before the red-headed Sasori pinned down his legs effortlessly.

Sakura called over them, hugging herself. "Please! Deidara-sempai! Sasori! Don't hurt him!"

"A Regi?" Itachi flicked his sibling's forehead so that he twisted his body, trying to push the older men off his body. Itachi flicked back his bangs, with an interested 'Hm!' "How long have you known, then?"

"Since I was nine." Sasuke growled back. "It's unfair! No wonder I could never beat you!"

"So, is that why you were going to Orochimaru?" Hummed Sasori from the back. "To change yourself in to one of us so you'd have a chance at topping your brother once or twice?" He chuckled, digging his fingers in to the back of the young Uchiha's knee. "Pathetic."

"Don't call me that!" He squirmed under their grasp. "You're Regi too. Don't act as if you know me!"

But Itachi grinned and snapped his fingers. Both Deidara and Sasori got to their feet and wrenched Sasuke up by his shoulders. They both pulled his elbows behind him and pinned him up against the wall. Itachi drummed his fingers on his arm, reviewing the situation before saying, "Idiot little brother. You do realize that you're the only one in this room with pure human blood, don't you?"

The room went cold.

It was a second before Sasuke shot his head round to face Sakura, who had already fallen to her knees with her hands hiding her face.

"You!" He yelled, thrashing angrily. He freed his right arm for just a second, but Deidara latched himself back on to it in the next. "Haruno! You're one-"

But he couldn't finish his sentence before Itachi had grabbed his little brother's chin, glaring in to his eyes. Sakura peered through the cracks in between her fingers for just a second, only to be frozen again. From the center of Itachi's eyes was a red speck. It span and grew and grew until it clouded his whole eye with scarlet. Sasuke's head drooped and his knees gave way. Deidara and Sasori pulled him back up again. He was unconscious.

Sakura rubbed her eyes free of the traces of wetness, before squinting as hard as she could, expecting some kind of colour to shroud Itachi like it did with all other Regi she had met. It did not.

----------------------

Sakura hiccupped. She was sat between the three men, all watching the boy in the bed steadily rise and fall with his breathing. None of them had said a word in over an hour. The blonde man to Sakura's left was playing with his fingers impatiently. The darker one to her right had a blank expression that no one could decipher.

"Sakura-san." Said the third man, reaching out and laying a hand on her knee. "You've got to come to terms with it. He would have found out eventually anyway."

She sniffed and rubbed her cheek with the sleeve of her gown. "I know. I just... wasn't ready yet... and neither was Sasuke-kun." She looked saddened towards the dark boy. A purple bruise had shown itself up against his collarbone. A bandage was strung around his bare chest. "Why..." She started, turning to Itachi, eyes still cloaked with sadness. "Why don't you have an aura?"

"Because," He answered back, plainly. "I was not born one like you or Deidara here. I was forcefully made one."

"By who?"

"Orochimaru." Sasori filled in, staring at his hands longingly.

Sakura span about to look at them. "Why on earth did he do that to you?"

"Because." Itachi continued, crossing his legs soundly. "He was once part of the organization we were planning. He was one of the original members along with me. He always had this idea that Regi were superior, which he seems to still hold... A few years ago, though, he told us he wanted us to come in to a room to discuss something, so we did."

"But, he changed us." Sasori said, sullenly. "There was a flash of light from some strange machine that was behind the door in our blind spot, and then it was over."

"I was the four still standing..." Itachi said, quietly. "Myself, and three other members you're not acquainted with. Everyone else, including Sasori, had collapsed."

"And you were all changed?" Sakura gasped, "Just like that?"

They both nodded.

"This was before I had joined." Deidara informed, a lot more loudly than the other two. "I was already a pretty capable Regi, though. So I fit in okay."

Sakura turned to the red-haired boy, who was still examining his hands with a mournful expression still on his face. This was the boy - the man - who had undoubtedly saved her life a few days ago.

"Sasori..."

The pair of rich brown eyes met hers. She did not quiver.

"...What happened when you collapsed?"

He managed a tiny smile and got up from his seat. He turned to them all and started fiddling with the buttons on his shirt. Sakura wasn't sure whether to be shocked or not. She looked up to Deidara, whose smile had been wiped off and replaced by an expression that could almost have been sympathetic. She looked back to him, before taking in breath.

The blue cotton slid from his back to the floor and he allowed their eyes to run over him. His body was hard. Sakura knew he hadn't felt soft when he had carried her, but she had just written this off as boniness. No. At his elbows and wrists there were wooden joints. His fingers were the same. He flexed them, and she flinched as the sharp squeaks of clashing wood met her ears. On his chest, however, there was a canister that had been carefully sealed over where his heart should have been. She reached out to touch it. The feeling of cold metal engulfed her fingers before she felt it vibrate. She snatched her hand away. There was a pulse.

Was he even alive? His face was expressive. He seemed to be able to move it around somewhat, though with his ever-blank expression it was hard to tell. He was like a wooden doll. A puppet.

He took his shirt from the floor and slid it back on to his arms. "I wasn't the only one that took the radiation from the machine badly... though, mine was considerably harder to revert than some of the others." He buttoned it up and took his seat next to Deidara. "It was like a disease. It was destroying all the cells in my body one by one... I..." He smiled a little again. "I actually owe my life to Tsunade-hime."

"My master?"

"She hated me." He nodded. "She wasn't principal at the time. That was still the Third. She was in charge of one of the Medical Universities and she often had to come and screen the classes for possible candidates... but she hated me." He chuckled. "My grandmother always wanted me to be a doctor. That's why she sent me off to Konoha in the first place. But I was always more interested in the more gory aspects than actually saving people's lives. And, she hated me for it. But, if it weren't for her and her expert knowledge of the situation, I wouldn't be here."

"H-How?"

He rapped his knuckles on his arm. "I was always in to puppets. It was the only thing I felt I was really good at. But, she sealed my heart," He tapped the metal canister on his chest, "And my brain in to the doll. And, well, now look at me. I'm fucking Pinocchio."

Deidara let out a snigger.

Sakura managed a small smile before gripping his hand. The wood was cold, but somehow it was calming. "I think you're a great person, Sasori-sempai. It doesn't matter whether you're... you know."

"Thank you, Sakura."

Deidara snorted. "That was a very **wooden **response, Danna."

He was ignored. Sakura continued. "What about the other people who collapsed?"

"Yes, tell her about those other bastards, Danna. I'm sure you're just **pining **to."

Sasori brought his fist to the back of the blonde's head before continuing. "The reaction was like mine. It changed their bodies, but it didn't kill them. It's just... forbidding. They can't go out in public because of it."

"They're freaks, basically!" Deidara sung with a smile, before he felt the cold hard punch of his companion's hand a second time.

But no one answered him again, for all eyes were on Sasuke. He was glaring coldly at the four of them. 

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Thank you all for your votes in the previous installment, all of you! I received a few comments, which made me really happy. Thank you for being so considerate.

I also saw that a few of you were choosing your votes carefully because you wanted to avoid the same-sex couple. And, since a lot of votes went to the story with the same-sex couple, even though you were trying to avoid it...

Nevertheless, I have decided on attempting the first story, which also happens to be the only SasukexSakura of the three! -waves a flag- Hurrah...! The couple for the second story was in fact, SasorixDeidara XD Ohoho. And the third story was a SaixSakura.

In regards to the hints:

First hint: At least ONE of the stories is focused primarily around a same sex couple. (**That was story no. 2, featuring SasorixDeidara**.)

Second hint: ONE story promises to be a 20+ chapter story. The other TWO are short in comparison. (**That was story no. 1, the chosen story! Prepare yourselves!!**)

Third hint: Only ONE of the stories contains all three TEAM SEVEN members in a team-like situation. (**That was story no. 1.)**

Fourth hint: I will not say that all the stories are Naruto related, thought they very well might be. (**This was a bluff XD All the stories were Naruto. Although, I was thinking of making the first one a D.Gray-Man story... I actually still think I should have**...)

Final hint: At least ONE of the stories contains Sakura in a couple that is NOT Sasuke/Sakura. (**Story no. 3, The SaiSaku**.)

But yes. The first story's profile is below! I'll say it now. The SasuSaku in the story will be kept to a low. If anything, I want to focus on the Team Seven aspects. The story will also have a bit of NaruHina and maybe some others? I have yet to decide.

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**Thicker Than Water**

In a world where women are considered inferior, a war is being waged. The Fire Country is in turmoil after being invaded by Oto's High Priest - Who is in fact a Godless man and a plotting dictator. He woos the men in to a false trance- one that outlaws all females once and for all! As Oto's troops ensnare Konoha, the Female shanties lose their breath for the last time. Someone is snatched from the wreck. They are presumed dead.

As the High Priest's 'Female Elimination Roster' is quickly being filled, two women are on the run. Hair is cut and bleached, sanctuary is found, but at what price? After all, there is no better hiding place than right under the enemy's nose...

With nothing in her but her best friend's last words and her newly found no-pity attitude, one Haruno Sakura sets out to protect her race, her future and her own life.

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Review, please!


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